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Gewürztraminer’s homeland lies in the foothills of the Alps. It’s a pink grape, just like Pinot Gris/Grigio, that tends to perform better in cooler climates. The most famous region for Gewürztraminer is Alsace in France.
The variety has high natural sugar, and the wines are usually off-dry with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. That’s not to say that all Gewürztraminers are sweet; they generally have a gram or two of residual sugar, but because of the heightened aromatics, higher alcohol, and lower acidity, many taste sweeter than they actually are.
Gewürztraminer is typically unoaked to preserve its floral (rose) aromas, and it is a wine that pairs very well to Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. Off-dry examples can certainly stand up to some spice!