All about BC Gewürztraminer
Receiving the attention it deserves on the blog today is an under appreciated variety in BC and the world market as well. Yet when people finish stumbling with the awkward name and give the wine a chance, they are pleasantly surprised! And why shouldn’t they be?
It smells of tropical fruit like lychee, ripe stone fruits, and flowers like roses and jasmine. You could hardly concoct a superior sensory experience. Expressions are often off-dry as the aroma profile beckons for a touch of sweetness, but many are also dry. Although it shares some qualities with other aromatic whites like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or Muscat, there is none quite like Gewürztraminer.
Ga-VERTZ-tra-mee-ner. That’s it. Don’t worry - lots of wine pros still get it wrong (and the oft substituted ‘Gew’ shorthand is just ick). Gewürz means spice in German, and the variety originates in the town of Tramin, in northern Italy where there is linguistic and cultural influence from neighbouring Austria. So we have a ‘spiced one from Tramin.’ Now let’s put the name behind us and talk about the grape.
The skins have a pink tint, which can colour the wine - if extended skin contact is allowed, you will see a deep golden or even copper hue. It’s a grape that ripens easily too, which means sugars can get high (and therefore wines can reach alcohol levels around 14%), and acid levels drop. Consequently, there’s a risk of Gewürztraminer wines being flabby and oily. A cool to moderate climate and capping yields in the vineyard will encourage acid retention and aromatic depth. Alternatively, growing in a warmer region with cooling influences such as chilly nights or higher altitude will preserve acidity.
Photo Credit: Wines of BC
Especially in BC, Gewurz is a common component in our beautiful, fruity, easy drinking white blends. It can really excel in this category, bringing perfume and tropical fruit character while other grapes contribute citrus flavours, freshness, and acidity. If you haven’t had Gewürztraminer on its own before, you’ve almost certainly had it in a blend.
Most famously, Alsace has the best reputation for Gewürztraminer. Their wines are rich, perfumed, fuller in body, and usually dry, while late harvest versions are sweeter. In BC, there are 659 acres planted - nipping at the heels of third place Riesling. Its overall percentage of grape acreage has barely changed in 20 years, while its podium position has gradually fallen. The grape is just not popular enough to take up land that could be used to grow Chardonnay or Pinot Noir for example. While award winning wines have come from Kelowna, Naramata, and the Similkameen, Gewürztraminer is more commonly found in Summerland, Peachland, and Okanagan Falls. It also makes it into the top four planted varietals in the Kootenays and Gulf Islands but vineyard area is minimal in these regions to begin with.
Photo Credit: Wines of BC
Because Gewürztraminer has been around in BC for so long, we have lots of great examples as you’ll see below. There won’t be as much variation as you might expect with Riesling or Chardonnay which are more expressive and transparent of their origins and winemaking decisions. But you can always count on Gewurz to be a patio partner for any season. I especially love this wine in summer and fall, and it is so easily enjoyed on its own without relying on food to provide the balance or improve palatability.
Two particular local wineries, legends themselves in BC wine heritage, are also longtime producers of quality Gewurz. Wild Goose in Okanagan Falls and Sumac Ridge in Summerland (both featured here!) have probably the most iconic wines of this variety in the province. Wild Goose have long been kings of aromatic whites, reflecting the owners’ German roots. Sumac Ridge was the first estate winery in BC and popularized Gewürztraminer here, and thus their place in any article about this variety in BC is mandatory. Owned by Oliver giant Arterra wines since 2000, Sumac Ridge winery is now closed but the label is still being produced.
Conventional suggestions for food pairing with Gewürztraminer have been overly broad-brushed: ‘Asian dishes’ or ‘spicy food’ are drab recommendations and we can do better. If we look at characteristics of the wine on average, we have:
Medium to full body
Medium to high alcohol
Low to medium acidity
Fruity and aromatic profile
Dry to medium sweetness
This combination makes things a little tricky. Foods too high in acidity will make the wine seem comparatively flat. Too much umami will reduce the wine’s fruitiness and accentuate the alcohol, and sweet foods will have the same effect.
Lean cured meats, gooey cheeses, and salty snacks are no brainers. My mind also gravitates towards tortilla chips and guacamole, fresh or fried spring rolls, stir fried noodles, banh mi, Alsatian fare like flammkuchen or onion tart, middle eastern rice dishes with nuts and dried fruit, or chicken tagine.
Now, here are the wines - all 100% BC Gewürztraminer. Some were provided by the producers, which will be noted by *
Sumac Ridge Private Reserve Gewürztraminer 2023
The OG in BC (Original Gewürztraminer), #1 selling in the province. This ageless monarch set the standard for BC Gewürztraminer before I could walk. The wine’s success is surely owed to its simple and uncomplicated nature. Lychee, stone fruits and grapefruit gummies are well defined and create a juicy and approachable base, which is decorated with white blossoms and ginger. It is just off dry with 12.8% abv and refreshing acidity. Nothing is out of place or even unique, but that’s the key here - straightforward, no frills, understandable and enjoyable wine.
Wild Goose Gewürztraminer 2023
The heritage of BC Gewürztraminer persists in this bottling. It was awarded Double Gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships in 2024, included in the BC Wine Awards BC Top 50, and designated a ‘Judges Selection’ at the 2024 Alberta Beverage Awards. The balance is impeccable, a festival of ripe fruit and floral embellishments in accordance with rich spice and invigorating acidity. The nose and palate are crisp and graced by rose water, longan, melon, mango, peach, and candied ginger. Off dry but barely, the dose of sweetness is well prescribed and executed precisely. Charming, brilliant, and classic.
Moraine Gewürztraminer 2023
Exclusively Naramata grapes from Moraine’s estate vineyards make up this wine. Pale as Moonlight, they’ve simultaneously minimized skin contact while extracting every milligram of flavourful character. There’s loads of peach, apricot, ripe green plum, star fruit, hawaiian ginger, and acacia honey. Fresh acidity drives the excitement to the orchard and back, and it’s a long drive. Leave it to Moraine to make wines that put you in a happy place.
Tinhorn Creek Gewürztraminer 2022
Harvested from two estate vineyards with east-facing aspect, grapes are whole cluster pressed and the juice is cold fermented to retain fresh aromatics. The wine rested on lees for 3 months prior to bottling, for additional richness and complexity. Cravings for intense fruit character are satisfied here, with lemon, juicy apple and pear, melon, kiwi, and under ripe pineapple all on display, peppered with pungent spice. Some yeasty notes are there in the background as well. On the palate, the rounder mouthfeel is still modulated by fresh acidity. The production method is more common for Pinot Gris, and indeed the wine presents masquerading as one - but the flavours confirm suspicion that there’s an imposter in the glass. The tropical and botanical aromatics have been blurred a bit but this is still a very good, easy drinking Gewürztraminer.
*Bordertown Gewürztraminer 2023
Grapes from their Osoyoos estate were cool fermented and bottled after 8 months storage in stainless steel, without any lees contact. Golden yellow in colour, the aromas are gregarious as a garden patio - honeysuckle, jasmine, and ripe apple and pear predominate with accents of ginger and fried banana. This verdant generosity is absent on the palate, which is composed mainly of lime, green papaya, and other under ripe fruits, whose acidity is naked with neither sweetness nor intensity of flavour. The finish is thin and stiff - still I’d rather a wine lean this direction than the opposite: a slippery, zipless mess. I believe Bordertown’s other whites (link to Bordertown post) are better examples of their style and quality.
*Castoro de Oro Gewürztraminer
The Golden Beaver in Oliver, BC has produced a unique Gewürztraminer that stands out from the others. Its emphasis is not so much on ripe fruit character but rather some intriguing elements of straw, citrus pith, and orange blossom honey. The grape’s signature spice does shine through like vanilla infused sultanas, with an icewine-like concentration. The fruit that’s there defies the typical Gewurz profile, an unusual mingling of dried peach, freshly picked figs, melon rind, and apple skin. There’s a curious stemminess there as well. True to their marketing, the wine is completely dry, which makes the acidity all the more stark. The body is initially lean but opens up nicely into a rich finish. Definitely one of a kind.
Such an exciting wine should really be on more people’s radar, even if vivid and conspicuous character aren’t for everyone. Some just want acid, tannin, and 100% dryness. Gewurz will never give you all three and seldom more than one of these. BC has the capability to produce bright and exciting wines from this grape, with enviable zest. Join me in the gratifying act of sipping one of our top white wines. It’s about time we declare an International Gewürztraminer Day - let’s lead the way in BC. Who’s with me??
This Blog Post was written by our contributor: Matt Tinney with MT Wine Consulting (@mtwineconsulting).