The wine can be served as an aperitif or with the meal and should go well with smoked salmon; the acidity provides excellent contrast to the lox’s oiliness. This is also one of the only wines that can accompany classic Asian and Indian dishes.
The Gew?rztraminer also known as “Gew?rzt”, is an aromatic white wine grape variety that grows best in cool climates. The variety has a high natural sugar content, hence the wines which are produced from Gew?rztraminer grapes usually range from semi-dry to sweet desert wines.
Although the Gew?rztraminer grape has been planted in many countries around the world including Germany, Australia, the United States and even here in Israel, the best Gew?rztraminer wines can be found in the Alsace wine region in the north of France. The typical “Gew?rzt” is usually characterized by a pronounced spiciness, from which it takes its name - 'Gew?rzt' being the German word for spice or spicy.
Name: Ramat Hagolan, Yarden, Gew?rztraminer, 2007
Country: Israel
Region: Golan Heights
Type: Semi-dry
Variety: 100% Gew?rztraminer
Price: 59 NIS
Alcohol: 14.5%
Tasting notes:
This medium body “'Gew?rzt”, light golden in color, gives off lovely aromas of white flowers and tropical fruits particularly lychees. In my opinion, the wine comes on a bit too sweet at first taste but then offers a pleasant lingering finish.
While the Yarden 2007 Gewurztraminer is fully ready for drinking, the winery suggests that the wine will keep until 2010.
Bottom line:
Although this isn’t the best “Gew?rzt” we have seen from the winery in recent years, the wine still provides a pretty good value for money.
Food pairing:
On a warm summer day, one of my favorite things to do is to open a chilled “Gew?rzt”, to accompany my outdoor picnic lunch.
The wine can be served as an aperitif or with the meal and should go well with smoked salmon; the acidity provides excellent contrast to the lox’s oiliness. This is also one of the only wines that can accompany classic Asian and Indian dishes.
Tip of The week: “removing red wine stains 2”.
Pour club soda on the stain. The salt serves as barrier and prevents the stain from setting, while the carbonation helps “lift“ the stain.
