I bought this wine at a wine tasting almost a year ago and sort of forgot I even had it, until it was the end of a long week and the balmy 45 degree weather inspired me to finally crack it open. Ironically, this wine comes from the coldest region in Israel, Galilee. According to the Yarden website, “The vineyards on this volcanic plateau rise 400 meters above sea level to 1,200 meters and receives snowfall in the winter.” (It must have been fate calling me to open this wine in January of all months then.)
Gewurztraminer (pronounced: goo-wurz-ter-meener) is a white grape grown mostly in Alsace, Austria and the Rhine valley. I’ve read on Wine Folley that Gewurztraminer is the grown-up version of Moscato. In the glass, it smelled sweet when I brought it in for a sip. The color was pale lemon. I was surprised to taste floral notes, apricot, hint of bubble gum and a crisp finish with hardly a trace of sweetness. It paired much better with food than on its own. I enjoyed it with some spicy sushi, but I could also see how it could pair well with Thai or Chinese dishes as well.
Overall, it was light and the flavors were interesting. It would probably taste even better on a sweltering summer day, but still, I’m glad I was able to try this one again and give it a proper review. You can find this in the Kosher section of your local wineshop for around $19.
Rating: 🍷🍷1/2 out of 5
