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If you’re looking for an aromatic, flavourful white wine, Gewürztraminer should be your go-to selection. Historically BC Gewürztraminer tended to be on the sweeter side, but recently several dry Gews have been brought to the Market.

A white wine born in the Alsace region of France, this wine smells identical to lychee fruit. Seriously, the wine shares the same aroma compounds as the exotic fruit. So if you’re ever tasting Gewürztraminer and someone asks what you smell, you can always say lychee — you’ll never be wrong!¹ Other complex aromas include ruby red grapefruit, ginger, rose petals and burnt incense.

Here is no particular order: our Top 10 Best Value BC Gewürztraminers.

50th Parallel Gewürztraminer 2021 ($25)

This is an Alsace off-dry style but with enough body and acidity to balance the aromatics.

The wine has the classic aromas of lychee, kiwi, gooseberry and rose petals.

Meyer lemon to passionfruit to more lychee floods the palate. Your taste buds are excited by the acidity. 91 Points

Meyer Gewürztraminer 2022 ($17.48)

From the original 1994 plantings on the home vineyard in Okanagan Falls, the Gewürztraminer block has a westerly aspect and is cool in the morning. It captures the heat in the late afternoon, allowing the winemaker to craft a beautifully aromatic, food-friendly Gewürztraminer.

The first batch of fruit harvested was loaded straight from the vineyard into the press and was slowly and gently whole-bunch-pressed to maximize juice quality without extracting harsh flavours. The later pick was destemmed, slightly crushed, left to soak with the skins for 24 hours, then gently pressed. Both lots were combined, and a long, cool indigenous fermentation occurred in stainless steel vats and older seasoned French oak barrels lasting four weeks. The wine was left on its fine lees for a further four months. No malolactic fermentation occurred.

Alcohol 13.5 % / pH:3.42 / TA 6 / RS 5

Classic Gewürztraminer aromas of lychee and honeysuckle. This refreshing wine has flavours of yellow peach, honey, and Meyer lemon. The mouthfeel is textured and balanced with a hint of candied ginger. 91 Points.

The perfect patio sipper or complement to lighter dishes like salad rolls, sushi or Thai salad.

Harper’s Trail Gewürztraminer 2021 ($21.99)

Alcohol 12.7% | pH 2.97 |TA 6.975 | RS 7.52

The Gewürztraminer opens with light aromas of Lychee and rose petals with flavours of honeydew melon, pink grapefruit and Mandarin orange. The mouthfeel is textured and balanced with a hint of candied ginger. 90 Points

Dirty Laundry Woo Woo Gewürztraminer 2023 (2022 vintage is $19.99)

Half the fruit is soaked on skins in cold temperatures and pressed off into stainless steel, undergoing spontaneous fermentation. The other half is crushed, destemmed, and pressed directly into the tank, where it cold settles, racked, and then inoculated in cold fermentation to preserve varietal characteristics and aromas. The winemakers carefully blend the fruit while keeping some residual sugar in the bottle to brighten the Gewürztraminer fruit.

Prepare to be wooed by this vivacious Gewürztraminer.  The lychee, peach and fragrant blossoms will seduce you. The Off-dry Gewürztraminer has a rich mouthfeel, spicy with ginger, honey, lychee and lime flavours, a light mineral backbone and a touch of sweetness on the finish. It has excellent intensity and a balance of flavours. 90 points

Castoro de Oro Gewürztraminer 2021 ($16.87)

The first breath from the glass is like a walk in an alpine meadow with freshly blooming wildflowers and classic aromas of lychee, kiwi, and gooseberry. This is a dry medium-bodied Gew. Meyer lemon, passionfruit, lychee, ginger and apricot flood the palate with a marzipan finish. A delightful degree of acidity entices the tongue to sip more. 91 Points

The Vibrant Vine Gewürztraminer 2019 ($23)

Vibrant aromas of lychee, white peach and delicate white flowers. The off-dry wine has a light mouthfeel and refreshing flavours of passion fruit, key limes, guava and lychee. 92 Points

Intrigue Gewürztraminer 2019 ($17)

Slightly lower in acidity, this wine offers lychee, passionfruit and rose petals aromas. On the palate, notes of orange blossom, lychee, Asian pear, and nectarine are present, finishing with subtle white pepper.  90 Points

Suggested Pairings: Thai coconut green curry garnished with fresh bamboo shoots, spicy chicken sauté 

Black Widow Dry Gewürztraminer 2018 ($23)

Harvested at peak ripeness from our Naramata Bench Vineyard and nearby Wheeler Vineyard (also on the Naramata Bench). Fermented very dry at cool temperatures in stainless steel to retain aromas of pineapple, grapefruit & lychee. 

Luscious aromas of Lychee. Tropical fruit flavours dominate, including pineapple, kiwi, and red grapefruit, with a touch of spice on the finish.  The dry finish truly sets this wine apart from typical, sweeter versions. 91 Points

Pair with Asian cuisine, turkey, and sausage.

O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars Gewürztraminer 2020 ($22-$30)

For the 2020 vintage Peak Cellars introduced two fantastic Gewürztraminers.

Broken Granite is the leaner, drier and more mineral version.

For both wines, the first breath from the glass is like a walk in an alpine meadow with freshly blooming wildflowers and classic aromas of lychee, kiwi, and gooseberry. Meyer lemon, passionfruit, lychee, ginger and apricot flood the palate with a marzipan finish. 90+ Points.

Ruby Blues Gewürztraminer 2019 ($20)

The grapes for this wine come entirely from the Smallwood vineyard where the vines are over 35 years old.

A lovely floral nose, classic lychee and rose petals. The tropical fruit flavour, white peach and lychee with a pleasant, long, fresh finish. 93 Points

It pairs well with soft blue cheeses and spicy Asian dishes, like curry, sweet and sour, and more. This style of wine is enjoyable young and ages gracefully.

The wine was a Double Gold medal winner at 2020 All Canadian Wine Championships.

Reference

1. Gewürztraminer White Wine Guide – VinePair