Gewurztraminer: first wine tasted as an aspiring wine snob. Being fairly familiar with most prevalent wine varieties (e.g. Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir), I hoped to exercise my new expertise on a bottle I had certainly never tried, and probably couldn’t pronounce. The seductive Gewurztraminer met both of my qualifications. This white wine grows in cool-weather regions and is produced in both Europe and the US and, to a very small extent, Canada. According to “Wine Wise,” the European version is dry with with balanced flavors of heady fruit and spice. The North American type is typically fruitier, but lacks some depth and spice.  I chose Starling Castle’s product, from the Pflaz region of Germany (primarily because it was on sale at Publix). I won’t try and pretend that I was able to properly pick up on the aromas of this extravagant wine, but apparently lechee, rose water, apricot, ginger, cloves and allspice, and perhaps a touch of pepper, should have been present. My two taste testers and I give the vintage a collective six thumbs up.

Gewurztraminer: first wine tasted as an aspiring wine snob.

Being fairly familiar with most prevalent wine varieties (e.g. Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir), I hoped to exercise my new expertise on a bottle I had certainly never tried, and probably couldn’t pronounce. The seductive Gewurztraminer met both of my qualifications.

This white wine grows in cool-weather regions and is produced in both Europe and the US and, to a very small extent, Canada. According to “Wine Wise,” the European version is dry with with balanced flavors of heady fruit and spice. The North American type is typically fruitier, but lacks some depth and spice.  I chose Starling Castle’s product, from the Pflaz region of Germany (primarily because it was on sale at Publix).

I won’t try and pretend that I was able to properly pick up on the aromas of this extravagant wine, but apparently lechee, rose water, apricot, ginger, cloves and allspice, and perhaps a touch of pepper, should have been present.

My two taste testers and I give the vintage a collective six thumbs up.