Let me begin by saying that I have never been a huge fan of this grape variety and that this week’s wine is one I thought I would not be keen on. However, I have learned to be both humble and have an open mind about the wines I taste and so I tried this Gewürztraminer from Hoffstatter at Operawine.com and I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

This Gewürztraminer is made from grapes grown in their Kolbenhof estate which overlooks Tramin. Thanks to the microclimate, soils of clay, gravel and lime, the southeastern exposure of the vineyard and the age of the vines, they produce a beautiful example of what this variety can do.

The wine is somewhat more textured than many I have had and that is thanks to the skin contact that it undergoes for a few hours and the 8 months it spends on the lees with battonage once a week. It had the opulent aromas and fruit flavors that are typical of this variety but it also had great acidity. It would be great with Indian food which I am currently craving. I wish I had a bottle on hand this evening.

Josef Hofstätter founded the winery in the year 1907 and it is now run by the fourth generation. They have 50 hectares of vines at between
800 and 2.600 feet above sea level.