108. Gewurztraminer - The One Wine You Will Always Identify in a Blind Tasting | WSET Level 2 and Level 3

Host: Joanne Close Episode Length: 10 minutes 53 seconds Release Date: April 23, 2025

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Episode Description

If there is one grape that will wake up your nose and make you feel like a confident taster, it is Gewurztraminer. In this episode Joanne makes the case that Gewurztraminer is probably the most recognisable grape in the world, and explains exactly why that matters for anyone who has ever sat in a tasting and worried that their nose is broken. It is not broken. You just need the right wine in your glass.

This episode covers Gewurztraminer in genuine depth, going beyond the brief mentions it gets in the Level 2 and Level 3 textbooks to give you the full picture. Joanne walks through the grape's historical origins, its ancient connection to the Traminer family and the Sauvignon lineage, why climate is everything for this variety, and what makes Alsace its undisputed spiritual home. If you have a bottle of Alsatian Gewurztraminer within reach, this is the episode to listen to with a glass in hand.

The episode also covers where else Gewurztraminer is grown at Level 3, including Germany, New Zealand, Chile, Washington State, and the Finger Lakes, and why some of these cooler climate regions have real potential for the variety going forward.

What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Gewurztraminer Matters for WSET Students

• Why Gewurztraminer is considered the world's most recognisable grape and what that means for blind tasting
• How identifying pronounced aromatic varieties builds tasting confidence at every level
• Why this grape is covered in detail for both Level 2 and Level 3 despite its brief textbook mention

Pronunciation, Meaning, and Origins

• How to pronounce Gewurztraminer correctly
• What Gewurz means in German and why the umlaut is often dropped in modern labelling
• The ancient Traminer vine family and its connection to Sauvignon Blanc and Grauer Traminer
• First recorded references in the Rheingau in 1827 and in Alsace in 1886

Climate and Vineyard Considerations

• Why Gewurztraminer needs a cool to moderate climate with a long growing season
• The danger of low acidity and what happens to the wine in warmer climates
• Why flabbiness is the enemy and how harvest timing is critical
• How sugar builds rapidly and why alcohol levels of 14% or above are common

In the Glass

• Full body and rich oily texture explained
• The deep golden colour that comes from the pink-tinged grape skin
• Key aromas and flavours - lychee, rose, and sweet baking spices
• The electric, almost pop rock sensation Joanne describes on the palate
• The vocabulary used to describe Gewurztraminer - pungent, exotic, flamboyant, intensely perfumed

Gewurztraminer in Alsace

• Why Alsace is the spiritual home of Gewurztraminer
• Its status as one of the four noble grape varieties permitted for Grand Cru, Vendanges Tardives, and Selection de Grains Nobles
• Roughly 18.6% of Alsace plantings, approximately 3,000 hectares
• Alsace holds around one third of the world's total Gewurztraminer plantings
• Second only to Riesling in terms of plantings within Alsace

Where Else Gewurztraminer Grows

• Germany - approximately 1,000 hectares, its ancestral home
• New Zealand - around 200 hectares
• Chile - Bio-Bio and Itata Valleys, small plantings mentioned in the Level 3 textbook
• Washington State - Columbia Valley and cooler AVAs showing strong potential
• Finger Lakes - cool climate conditions well suited to aromatic varieties
• Australia and Alto Adige - small but quality-focused plantings

Episode Highlights and Quotes

"If you're still feeling a little despondent about your tasting abilities, go get a Gewurztraminer from Alsace and it will awaken your nose."

"There is nothing shy about Gewurztraminer. I've had this image in my mind all morning of a gal with purple hair going off to a rave with a bunch of glow sticks."

"Don't just think it's red wines that can be high in alcohol. You get a glass of Gewurztraminer and it has a good chance of being 14% or higher."

Gewurztraminer Quick Reference Guide Key Facts

Colour of skin - pink tinge, resulting in deep golden wines Body - full Acidity - low to medium Alcohol - high, commonly 14% or above Texture - rich and oily Aromatic intensity - pronounced

Key Aromas and Flavours

Lychee, rose, sweet baking spices

Words Commonly Used to Describe Gewurztraminer

Pungent, exotic, flamboyant, oily, spicy, intensely perfumed

Key Regions

Alsace, France - spiritual home, one third of world plantings Germany - ancestral home, approximately 1,000 hectares New Zealand - approximately 200 hectares Chile - Bio-Bio and Itata Valleys Washington State - Columbia Valley and cooler AVAs Finger Lakes, New York Australia and Alto Adige - small, quality-focused plantings

Classification in Alsace

Permitted for Alsace AOC, Alsace Grand Cru AOC, Vendanges Tardives, and Selection de Grains Nobles

Resources Mentioned

Level 2 Mock Exam Bundle - three full 50-question practice exams modelled on the actual WSET Level 2 Award in Wines exam: https://joanne-close.mykajabi.com/offers/xeXeiyop/checkout

Gewurztraminer Level 2 quiz and Level 3 essay question available in the newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/6648859973ba/newsletter

Episode 107: Alsace - Grapes, Climate and Classification

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About Wine Educate

Wine Educate is a WSET Approved Programme Provider offering internationally recognized wine certification courses. Through the podcast, Joanne Close makes wine education accessible to everyone, breaking down complex topics into practical, easy-to-understand lessons. Whether you are studying for your WSET certification or simply want to learn more about wine, you will find the guidance and knowledge you need to enjoy wine with confidence.

Episode 108 of the Wine Educate Podcast | Hosted by Joanne Close | © 2025 Wine Educate