Fetzer Valley Oaks Gewurztraminer 2004

by Ethan Johnson
October 1, 2006

The joy of wine and food pairings is that not everything will be a straight serving of a given dish, such as chicken, pasta, or red meat. There are seasonings and spices involved, and when there are, say goodbye to "just" grabbing whatever is said to pair well with the "straight" dish, since you've got a heaping helping of Da Funk. If you stocked your wine collection accordingly, you can lean with it, and rock with it. Tonight was such a night, so let's see what I've been keeping on hand in the wine fridge for just such an occasion:

Producer (Vineyard): Fetzer
Varietal (Grape type): Gerwurztraminer
Vintage (Year): 2004
Country: USA (California)
Color: White
Cost: Inexpensive ($9 USD)

Teh booze

Swirl and Sniff: Pale and clear. I had a hard time naming the scent at first, so all I came up with was "golden". As the wine warmed up in the glass it smelled like apples.

Taste: Crispy and acidic. As has been the case with white wines lately, it tasted like a fresh bite from a Granny Smith apple. Maybe a Golden Delicious, as per the scent profile. I got a "beer" vibe off of this at times, which was weird, but may also explain why it pairs well with certain foods.

Pairing: I paired this with Nisha's Kick-Ass Salmon. Good call! There are all sorts of seasonings and flavors going on there, and this wine was able to navigate through the maze with minimal fuss.

Rating: When it comes to this wine, I would (and you may):

  • Buy a case of for regular enjoyment
  • Buy a bottle or two for occasional enjoyment
  • Ask for when dining out or at a party
  • Settle for if your preferred wine is not available
  • Politely decline and never drink again, ever

This is another good "utlity" wine to have on hand. Gewurtztraminer is all about the spicy (seasoned) foods, but believe it or not, I have even paired this with steak in the past and gotten away with it handily. The acidity is deceptive, because there is another "layer" of je ne sais pas (truly) in this wine that helps it stand up to the rough stuff. While I can't guarantee that it will always pair with steak, I can recommend this with heavily seasoned (read: spicy) foods. Give it a whirl.

If you do give this a try, please let me know how your experience compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>

(The Totally Unpretentious Wine Reviews Index may be found here.)

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