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white Germany VIVC #4790

Gewürztraminer

Also known as: Traminer Aromatico, Savagnin Rose Aromatique, Roter Traminer

white-winearomaticlow-acidityfull-bodieddistinctive
Gewürztraminer vineyard in [Alsace](/appellations/alsace-aoc), France
Gewürztraminer vineyard in [Alsace](/appellations/alsace-aoc), France

Summary

Gewürztraminer is one of the world’s most distinctive and intensely aromatic grape varieties, producing wines with unmistakable lychee, rose petal, and exotic spice characteristics. With approximately 10,000 hectares under cultivation globally, this pink-skinned variety reaches its zenith in Alsace, France, where it produces powerful, full-bodied wines ranging from dry to lusciously sweet. The variety’s name derives from “Gewürz” (German for “spice”) and “Traminer” (referencing the Italian village of Tramin/Termeno in Alto Adige). Gewürztraminer is genetically a pink-berried aromatic mutation of Savagnin, characterized by exceptionally high monoterpene concentrations—particularly linalool and geraniol—that create its distinctive floral-exotic profile. The variety’s low acidity, high potential alcohol, and bold aromatics make it polarizing among consumers and technically challenging for winemakers.

Identity & Synonyms

Official Name: Gewürztraminer
VIVC Database: VIVC Entry #4790
Prime Name: GEWUERZTRAMINER (VIVC)
Berry Color: ROSE (Pink-skinned)

Synonyms:

  • Traminer Aromatico (Italy)
  • Traminer Rosa (Eastern Europe)
  • Savagnin Rose Aromatique (ampelographic classification)
  • Roter Traminer (Germany/Austria - “red Traminer”)
  • Tramín Červený (Czech Republic)
  • Traminac (Croatia)

Related Varieties:

  • Savagnin (parent variety; green-berried, non-aromatic)
  • Savagnin Rose (pink mutation of Savagnin; non-aromatic)
  • Gewürztraminer is the aromatic mutation of Savagnin Rose

Genetic Origin / Pedigree

Origin: Likely Alto Adige/Südtirol region (village of Tramin/Termeno)

Parentage:

  • Aromatic mutation of SAVAGNIN (via Savagnin Rose) (DNA-confirmed)
  • Savagnin: Ancient variety from Jura, France; produces Vin Jaune
  • Mutation pathway: Savagnin → Savagnin Rose (color mutation) → Gewürztraminer (aromatic mutation)

DNA Verification: Yes - genetic relationship to Savagnin confirmed; aromatic character linked to specific terpene biosynthesis gene mutations.

Historical Documentation: Traminer mentioned in German viticulture texts from the 16th century; “Gewürz” prefix appears in the 19th century to distinguish aromatic from non-aromatic Traminer.

Clonal Diversity: Limited; main selections focus on aromatic intensity and yield management.

Global Distribution

Total Area Planted: ~10,000 hectares globally

Top Producing Countries (ha):

  1. France - ~3,300 ha (Alsace accounts for 95%+)
  2. Moldova - ~2,000 ha
  3. Germany - ~1,000 ha (Pfalz, Baden, Rheinhessen)
  4. Italy - ~600 ha (Alto Adige/Südtirol)
  5. USA - ~500 ha (California, Oregon, Washington)
  6. Australia - ~400 ha (Clare Valley, Tasmania)
  7. New Zealand - ~350 ha (Gisborne, Marlborough)
  8. Austria - ~300 ha (Steiermark)

Planting Trends:

  • Stable: Alsace (well-suited to terroir)
  • Declining: Some warm regions (low acid problematic)
  • Minor interest: Cool-climate New World regions

Viticulture

Phenology:

  • Bud burst: Very early (significant frost risk)
  • Flowering: Early
  • Véraison: Early
  • Harvest: Early to medium
  • Growing season: 150-170 days from bud burst to harvest

Vigor: Low to medium - naturally low-yielding variety.

Fertility: Low to medium - typically 1.0-1.5 clusters per shoot.

Typical Yield:

  • Alsace Grand Cru: 55 hl/ha maximum
  • Alsace AOC: 70 hl/ha
  • Alto Adige: 60-80 hl/ha
  • Quality-focused production: 30-45 hl/ha

Disease Sensitivities:

  • Botrytis bunch rot: HIGH susceptibility (used for Vendange Tardive, Sélection de Grains Nobles)
  • Powdery mildew (Oidium): HIGH susceptibility
  • Coulure: Very susceptible during poor flowering weather
  • Millerandage: Common
  • Spring frost: HIGH risk due to very early bud burst

Climate Fit:

  • Optimal: Cool continental climates with warm autumns
  • Growing Degree Days: 1,600-2,200 GDD (base 10°C)
  • Very early bud burst creates severe frost vulnerability
  • Requires warmth for full aromatic development
  • Excessive heat causes rapid acid loss

Soil Preferences:

  • Clay-limestone (Alsace): Full-bodied, structured wines
  • Granite (Alsace): More mineral, elegant
  • Volcanic (Alto Adige): Aromatic intensity
  • Generally prefers well-drained soils with moderate fertility

Training Systems: Guyot predominant; VSP common; low vigor reduces need for restrictive training.

Enology

Typical Must Parameters at Harvest:

  • Sugar content: 21-26 °Brix (naturally high sugar accumulation)
  • pH: 3.3-3.8 (LOW natural acidity - key challenge)
  • Titratable acidity: 4.0-6.5 g/L (as tartaric acid)
  • Potential alcohol: 12.5-15.5% ABV

Fermentation & Winemaking:

Temperature Management:

  • Cool fermentation (14-18°C) preserves aromatic terpenes
  • Extended cool fermentation beneficial for complexity
  • Risk of stuck fermentation at high sugar levels

Phenolic Considerations:

  • Pink skins contain some phenolic compounds
  • Extended skin contact increases bitterness
  • Most producers use early pressing to minimize phenolic extraction
  • Some “orange wine” producers deliberately extend skin contact

Malolactic Fermentation:

  • Typically BLOCKED to preserve what little acidity exists
  • Some producers allow partial MLF for softer style
  • Full MLF creates flabby, unbalanced wines

Oak Usage:

  • Rarely used; oak overwhelms delicate aromatics
  • Traditional: Large neutral oak or stainless steel
  • Some Alsace producers use minimal oak for Grand Cru

Residual Sugar:

  • Range from dry (<4 g/L) to very sweet (>100 g/L)
  • Even “dry” Gewürztraminer often has 8-15 g/L RS to balance low acidity
  • Vendange Tardive: Late harvest, elevated sugar
  • Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN): Botrytis-affected, very sweet

Aging Potential:

  • Dry Gewürztraminer: 3-8 years
  • Vendange Tardive: 10-25 years
  • Sélection de Grains Nobles: 20-50+ years
  • Ages differently than high-acid varieties; develops quickly

Sensory & Chemical Markers

Chemical Composition (KEY VARIETAL MARKERS):

Monoterpenes (exceptionally high concentrations):

  • Linalool: 100-500 μg/L (floral, citrus; higher than most varieties)
  • Geraniol: 50-300 μg/L (rose, geranium)
  • Citronellol: 20-100 μg/L (citrus)
  • Nerol: 10-50 μg/L (rose)
  • α-Terpineol: 10-40 μg/L (floral)
  • Total monoterpene content among highest of all Vitis vinifera varieties

Other Compounds:

  • cis-Rose oxide: Rose, lychee character (key compound)
  • Phenolic compounds: Moderate (from pink skins)

Sensory Profile:

Young Dry Gewürztraminer:

  • Visual: Deep golden yellow (pink skins contribute color)
  • Aromatic: Lychee, rose petal, Turkish delight, ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, grapefruit
  • Palate: Full body, low acidity, oily texture, slightly bitter finish, pronounced alcohol warmth

Sweet Gewürztraminer (VT/SGN):

  • Visual: Deep gold to amber
  • Aromatic: Intensified lychee, honey, marmalade, dried apricot, ginger, saffron
  • Palate: Viscous, sweet, powerful; acidity balance critical

Aged Gewürztraminer:

  • Aromatic: Develops musk, smoke, orange peel, potpourri
  • Palate: Texture increases; bitterness integrates

Common Enological Issues

Very Low Acidity

  • Cause: Gewürztraminer inherently produces low-acid musts (TA 4.0-6.5 g/L, pH 3.3-3.8); warm vintages exacerbate acid loss.
  • Risk: Flabby, unbalanced wines; lack of freshness; microbial instability at high pH; shortened aging potential.
  • Decision point: Early harvest to preserve acidity; tartaric acid addition where legal; residual sugar to mask low acidity; MLF blocking essential.

High Alcohol Management

  • Cause: High natural sugar accumulation combined with full fermentation produces wines of 14-15.5% ABV.
  • Risk: Hot, unbalanced finish; alcohol masking aromatics; consumer fatigue.
  • Decision point: Earlier harvest accepting less aromatic intensity; residual sugar (arrest fermentation before complete) as stylistic choice; lower-alcohol styles gaining interest.

Aromatic Intensity Balance

  • Cause: Extremely high terpene concentrations can be overwhelming.
  • Risk: Consumer perception of excessive perfume; food-pairing challenges; palate fatigue.
  • Decision point: Yield management (higher yields reduce intensity); harvest timing; blending with neutral varieties (rare).

Bitterness from Phenolic Extraction

  • Cause: Pink skins contain phenolic compounds; extended skin contact extracts bitter phenolics.
  • Risk: Bitter, astringent finish detracting from varietal character.
  • Decision point: Minimal skin contact; early pressing; careful sorting; gentle handling.

Early Bud Burst and Frost

  • Cause: Gewürztraminer has among the earliest bud burst of commercial varieties.
  • Risk: Severe spring frost damage; crop loss; vine stress.
  • Decision point: Site selection (avoid frost pockets); frost protection systems (wind machines, bougies, aspersion); late pruning.

Coulure and Poor Fruit Set

  • Cause: High sensitivity during flowering to cold, wet, or windy conditions.
  • Risk: Severely reduced yields; economic loss.
  • Decision point: Site selection for protected flowering conditions; vineyard management; adjusted yield expectations.

Operational Considerations

Harvest timing:

  • Balance between aromatic development (requires warm ripening) and acid retention
  • Early harvest: preserved acidity, less aromatic intensity
  • Late harvest: full aromatics, very low acidity, high alcohol potential
  • Botrytis monitoring for sweet wine production (VT, SGN)

Must handling:

  • Gentle pressing to minimize phenolic extraction
  • Early separation from skins
  • Cool temperatures during processing
  • SO₂ addition to prevent oxidation

Fermentation management:

  • Cool fermentation (14-18°C) for terpene preservation
  • Monitor closely for stuck fermentation (high sugar levels)
  • YAN supplementation often required
  • Extended fermentation acceptable

Residual sugar decisions:

  • Even nominally dry Gewürztraminer often benefits from 8-15 g/L RS
  • Alsace labeling: Indice de Sucrosité indicates dryness level
  • VT and SGN have minimum sugar requirements

MLF management:

  • Block MLF in most cases (already low acid)
  • Lysozyme, SO₂, cold storage, sterile filtration

Aging and bottling:

  • Minimal oak contact
  • Early bottling (6-12 months) for fresh styles
  • Extended lees contact can add complexity
  • Lower SO₂ requirements due to low oxidation risk at low pH (actually high pH increases SO₂ needs)

Key Regions & Appellations

Alsace AOC / Alsace Grand Cru AOC (France)

Official Regulation: INAO

  • Varietal requirement: 100% Gewürztraminer permitted in all 51 Grand Cru vineyards
  • Area under vine: ~3,100 ha Gewürztraminer in Alsace
  • Sweetness labeling: Sec, Vendange Tardive (VT), Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
  • Indice de Sucrosité: Scale indicating dryness level
  • Characteristics: Benchmark region; full stylistic range; powerful, aromatic, age-worthy

Alto Adige/Südtirol DOC (Italy)

Official Regulation: Italian DOC system

  • Varietal name: Traminer Aromatico or Gewürztraminer
  • Area under vine: ~500 ha
  • Key zones: Termeno (Tramin) - historic origin
  • Characteristics: Often drier, more restrained than Alsace; elegant; notable mineral character

Pfalz (Germany)

Official Regulation: German Wine Law

  • Area under vine: ~600 ha
  • Characteristics: Generally drier style than Alsace; good acidity retention in German climate; elegant

Gisborne (New Zealand)

Official Regulation: Geographical Indications (Wine NZ)

  • Area under vine: ~200 ha
  • Characteristics: Cool-climate expression; aromatic; fresher acidity than Old World; food-friendly dry styles

Notable Benchmark Producers

Reference Examples (not commercial endorsements):

  1. Zind-Humbrecht - Alsace, France
    Biodynamic; Clos Windsbuhl, Rangen Grand Cru; benchmark for powerful, complex Gewürztraminer; dry to sweet styles.

  2. Domaine Weinbach - Alsace, France
    Biodynamic; Furstentum, Altenbourg, Mambourg Grand Cru bottlings; elegant, refined style; exceptional VT and SGN.

  3. Trimbach - Alsace, France
    Traditional producer; dry style; demonstrates that Gewürztraminer can be made in restrained, food-friendly fashion.

  4. J. Hofstätter - Alto Adige, Italy
    Kolbenhof single-vineyard; demonstrates Italian Gewürztraminer at highest level; elegant, mineral.

  5. Müller-Catoir - Pfalz, Germany
    Dry, precise German style; demonstrates variety’s potential beyond Alsace; excellent acidity management.

  6. Dry River - Martinborough, New Zealand
    Benchmark New Zealand Gewürztraminer; demonstrates cool-climate potential; aromatic yet balanced.

Research & References

  • VIVC (2025). “Gewuerztraminer - Vitis International Variety Catalogue.” Julius Kühn Institute. Entry #4790

  • INAO (2025). “Cahiers des Charges - Alsace AOC, Alsace Grand Cru AOC.” https://www.inao.gouv.fr

  • Mateo, J.J., & Jiménez, M. (2000). “Monoterpenes in grape juice and wines.” Journal of Chromatography A, 881, 557-567. DOI: 10.1016/S0021-9673(99)01342-4

  • Gunata, Y.Z., Bayonove, C.L., Baumes, R.L., & Cordonnier, R.E. (1985). “The aroma of grapes. I. Extraction and determination of free and glycosidically bound fractions of some grape aroma components.” Journal of Chromatography, 331, 83-90. ScienceDirect

  • Robinson, J., Harding, J., & Vouillamoz, J. (2012). “Wine Grapes.” Penguin Books. Publisher Link Gewürztraminer entry.

  • Consorzio Vini Alto Adige (2025). “Varietà - Gewürztraminer.” https://www.altoadigewines.com

Last Updated: January 6, 2026
Research Grade: WSET Diploma / Master of Wine level