It Never Hurts to Drink Gewurz

wines? Riesling ehrenfelser, sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, muscat are all gaining attention led by today's theme gewurztraminer. In some ways, there is a "perfect storm" explanation behind the interest in aromatic varieties and gewurztraminer in particular.

I believe red wine drinkers looking to rediscover white wine are looking for an increase in flavour intensity over what they may have experienced a decade ago. Although, I'm betting some consumers, who joined the red wine revolution in the 1990s, don't even know the flavours of yesterday's white wine. Either way you get the intensity from the aromatic varieties that often deliver lots of pleasure on the nose and the front of the palate where most wine drinkers focus their attention.

Next, gewurztraminer is a lot less global. In fact, unlike chardonnay or merlot, gewürztraminer has escaped the effects of global homogenization, at least until now. It's not grown everywhere, but when it's in such disparate places as Alsace in France, Marlborough in New Zealand, and the Okanagan Valley, the best examples give off that characteristic, intense, spicy, floral, lychee nut fruit aroma and flavour.

And it can be very food-friendly. Gewurztraminer is eminently suited to a variety of rich foods, although we caution there is no foolproof matching process. Experimenting is a must.

If that's not enough to peak your interest, consider that Okanagan gewurztraminer benefits from all of the above and it has the home-grown, "local" thing going for it too. The good news is gewürztraminer is one of the few domestic varieties whose price-to-quality ratio is not out of whack, especially when compared to its international peers. In most cases, the very best still retail under the $20 mark.

As I stated earlier, it's food-friendly, as long as you pay attention to whether it is bone dry or carrying some residual sugar. You can be exotic and think about grilled calamari with a watermelon and black olive salad, or even pairing it with foie gras. Spicy curries and Asian foods can be enhanced by gewurztraminer as long as it is sweet enough to cool the spice in the dish.

Aromatics: It's a whole new experience for the senses, and a sector of the varietal wine business well worth getting to know.

Naramata-based Red Rooster Reserve Gewurztraminer 2006 has a friendly, mineral-scented style nose with flecks of citrus and spice throughout. It has bright acidity with more mineral, floral fruit and a dash of residual sugar at the back end. A good candidate for the spicy dishes.

Gewurztraminer has always been one of the best labels at Tinhorn and the Tinhorn Creek Gewurztraminer 2006 is no exception. The nose is highly perfumed with ginger and lychee and its typical orange creamsicle notes. The entry is fresh and clean with more peach and spicy fruit flavours. Well balanced, light, fun style. Perfect for Indian or Thai cuisine and terrific value. Howard Soon has always had fun with gewürztraminer and as you might expect, that's what the Calona Vineyards Gewurztraminer Artist Series Reserve 2006 is all about. Look for a bright, lychee fruit nose with bits of sausage and floral notes. On the palate the fruit is clean and ripe and a touch drier than previous versions. Simple, but well made gewurztraminer you can sip solo or pair with summer-style salads. Fine value.

The Thornhaven Gewurztraminer 2006 is well worth searching for if you can locate it. Now consistently one of the best gewürztraminers made in B.C., I would say it is easily among the best in North America. Fresh and alive, packed full of sweet, lemon fruit flavours, lychee and a fresh floral, citrus undercurrent. Terrific intensity and length. It's not as powerful as Alsace, but then the French model can't match the liveliness here. Bravo, again.

Gray Monk has hit all the bells with its 25th anniversary Gray Monk Gewurztraminer 2006, a delicious spicy, peach fruit-style gewurztraminer. The mid-palate is fresh and clean with fine intensity of fruit flavour, plenty of elegance and a touch of sugar. The finish is the usual mix of mineral, citrus, rosewater and leafy, herbal, meaty flavours. Think turkey or serve solo as an apéritif. Good value.

We finish up with Blasted Church Gewurztraminer 2006, from Okanagan Falls. Much like the previous edition, it trades in some showy mineral, rosé petal notes with bits of spiced, baked apple. The mid-palate is clean fresh with nectarine, lychee, mineral, ginger flavours. Perfect for black bean, crab dishes. Well done.

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RED ROOSTER RESERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2006, OKANAGAN VALLEY
Price: $20
UPC: 681246006027
Score: 86/100
Remarks: Classic, spicy, mineral, floral-fruit flavours.

TINHORN CREEK GEWURZTRAMINER 2006, OKANAGAN VALLEY
Price: $15.49
UPC: 624802981031
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Ginger, lychee fruit and orange creamsicle notes.

CALONA VINEYARDS GEWURZTRAMINER ARTIST SERIES RESERVE 2006,
Okanagan Valley
Price: $14
UPC: 058976400072
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Remarks Well made gewürztraminer at an affordable price.

THORNHAVEN GEWURZTRAMINER 2006, OKANAGAN VALLEY
Price: $17 at VQU and private wine shops
UPC: 626990056805
Score: 90/100
Remarks: Remarks Sweet lemon fruit flavours and lychee with fresh citrus undercurrent.

GRAY MONK GEWURZTRAMINER 2006, OKANAGAN VALLEY
Price: $16
UPC: 778829116096
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Delicious, spicy, floral, peachy fruit.

BLASTED CHURCH GEWURZTRAMINER 2006, OKANAGAN VALLEY
Price: $17
UPC: 626990063186
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Fresh nectarine, lychee, mineral, ginger flavours.