Trivia Question #1: What’s the one grape variety that EVERYONE agrees on as being underrated every time they taste an outstanding example of?

Gewürztraminer!

Tell you what, this one is benchmark Gewürz. It’s not exactly a “value white” to be honest, but it’s truly life-changing good. And when you consider Weinbach’s top bottlings can easily cruise in the $100s a pop this is a relative bargain.

Weinbach is at the very TOP of the Alsatian quality pyramid. Robert Parker famously wrote “Alsace wine enthusiasts will no doubt argue for decades as to whether Domaine Zind-Humbrecht or Domaine Weinbach produces this fairy tale region’s most profound wines. The ZH wines tend to be slightly sweeter, with higher alcohol. Since Laurence Weinbach began making the wines, Domaine Weinbach’s wines are drier, although still authoritatively powerful, rich, and concentrated.”

From its distinctly decorated bottle to the seriously profound juice inside, this white doubles as perfume if you can ‘waste’ a drop or two for your skin. The bouquet is more redolent than any wildflowers picked in the height of spring. The palate is seamless and knee-weakening exotic. The off-dry while impeccably balanced finish has the taster on the knees, begging for Pad Thai. Or whatever ethnic food you fancy, it’ll shine with pretty much any off-the-wall pairing candidate you throw its way, versatile thru and thru.

Trivia Question #1: What does Gewürztraminer mean? From German it can translate as “the spicy one from Tramin” and when you look up the town of Tramin, you’re no longer in Alsace where the cool variety truly feels ‘at home’ but it’s an Alpine town Tramin an der Weinstraße in the Südtirol of Northern Italy that names this grape, where it originates. The gewürz or spicy part got prepended over time when it found its own in Alsace, showing its true colors. Speaking of its skin is a most alluring shade of pink!

There were just a few cases remaining when we fell in love, so gone when gone.

91 Points – Wine Spectator

“Fresh and zesty, showing a pleasingly bitter edge from the pink grapefruit peel and white pepper accents, with a stony base for the notes of Asian pear, melon rind and verbena, followed by a racy finish. 300 cases imported. Drink now through 2026.”