Gewürztraminer Arenis – 2022

Gewürztraminer Arenis from Cantina Kurtatsch smells of rose and lychee

The Gewürztraminer Arenis from Cantina Kurtatsch is a dry-vinified white wine from South Tyrol, grown on red sandstone. It is neither a sweet dessert wine nor a light summer spritzer, but a full-bodied varietal wine from the winery's Selection line.

The Gewürztraminer Arenis from Cantina Kurtatsch is a varietal white wine from the South Tyrolean Unterland, named after the arenaria rossa, that red sandstone found beneath the vines. It belongs to the winery's Selection line, grows a few kilometers from the wine village of Tramin, and carries 14.5 percent alcohol with an ease that belies its strength.

Yellow rose, lychee, and candied lemon

The Arenis sits gold-yellow in the glass, and even before the first sip, the grape variety announces itself through notes of rose, lychee, and candied lemon.

On the palate, it is broad-built yet agile, as a mineral nerve lies beneath the lush fruit, keeping the wine upright. Exotic spices resonate, accompanied by jasmine and a hint of clove. The sweetness remains a mere suggestion and never anything more.

In the finish, the spice lingers longer than the fruit, and this is exactly what separates a serious Gewürztraminer from the perfumed representatives of its guild. Anyone who previously considered the variety sweet and clunky will find the counter-argument in their glass here.

Speck, mountain cheese, and the spicy cuisine of Asia

The Arenis is at home with South Tyrolean Speck and aged mountain cheese, because its spice stands up to powerful flavors rather than capitulating to them.

Curry dishes, Thai cuisine, and anything featuring ginger or chili find a partner in this wine rather than an adversary. A duck liver terrine sits just as well alongside it as a piece of Gorgonzola. Serve it at 10 to 12 degrees in a wide glass, as its fragrance closes up if it is too cold.

Those looking for a powerful counterpart on the red wine shelf will find it in the full-bodied Lagrein, while things get significantly leaner with the Pinot Grigio from the same house.

The cold hour in the press

Before pressing even begins, the must remains cool on the skins according to the specifications of cellar master Erwin Carli.

During this cold maceration, the aromatic compounds migrate from the skins into the must without the bitterness following along. It is precisely here that it is decided whether a Gewürztraminer will later smell of rose or of perfume. Temperature matters more than duration here.

Afterward, fermentation takes place under temperature control in stainless steel so that the volatile floral notes are not lost while still in the tank. Derived from severely reduced yields of 60 hectoliters per hectare, this is not an everyday wine, but one with substance. The Arenis therefore needs air, and the first half hour in the glass changes it significantly.

A bottle for the late afternoon

The 2022 vintage brought a warm summer, and the bottle has since moved past its initial youth.

All you need on the table is a plate of cheese, a glass with a wide bowl, and a little time. The Arenis can handle another two to three years of storage; after that, the floral note loses its peak. What else is on the shelf from southern South Tyrol can be seen in the Cantina Kurtatsch assortment. A Gewürztraminer with poise.

Origin, values, and awards

• Origin: Wine from Italy
• Region: South Tyrol - Alto Adige DOC
• Grape variety: Gewürztraminer
• 14.5% vol. alcohol
• 5.5 g/l acidity
• 3.8 g/l residual sugar
• Awards 2022: 91 points Decanter, 90 points Falstaff, 90 points The Wine Journal, 89 points Vinum
• Award: Best value for money Gambero Rosso Berebene