Gewürztraminer Arenis – 2024

Cantina Kurtatsch Gewürztraminer Arenis grows on red sandstone

The Gewürztraminer Arenis from Cantina Kurtatsch is an aromatic white wine from the South Tyrolean lowlands, grown along the Wine Road near Tramin. Not a restrained everyday wine and not an oak-aged wine, but a young varietal wine full of floral notes and spice.

The Gewürztraminer Arenis from Cantina Kurtatsch is a dry white wine whose name derives from arenaria rossa, the red sandstone of the Kurtatsch mountainside vineyards. Gewürztraminer is the signature variety of the neighboring village of Tramin, and this vintage presents it as taut and bright with floral notes. At 14.0 percent alcohol, it stands firm in the glass without appearing broad.

Rose petals, nutmeg, and a touch of grapefruit

The young vintage sits in the glass a bright golden yellow, and the fragrance emerges immediately without the need to swirl the glass.

Rose petals and nutmeg are at the forefront on the nose, followed by candied citrus peel and a hint of cinnamon. On the palate, the 2024 vintage feels tauter than many of its predecessors, as the cool nights in autumn preserved its freshness. The wine remains dry, even if the fruit suggests otherwise.

A streak of grapefruit runs through the finish, lifting the weight of the opulence. This leaves you with an appetite for a third glass after the second, and that is exactly how you recognize a well-structured Gewürztraminer.

Smoked trout, goat cheese, and a spoonful of chutney

Smoked trout from the Adige Valley and fresh goat cheese bring out the floral notes without overpowering them. The cheese does not need long aging, as a young, milky wheel pairs better here than a dry one.

A spoonful of mango chutney next to roast duck, a slice of foie gras, a curry with coconut milk – all of these find their match in this wine. It is poured at 11 degrees into a bulbous glass, because its fragrance needs room to breathe.

For those who prefer something herbal and fresh, reach for the Sauvignon Blanc, and in the red wine selection, the light Grauvernatsch from the same village awaits.

Red sandstone and low yields per vine

The name Arenis comes from arenaria rossa, and the soil beneath the vines lives up to the name. This stone is red because iron oxides color it, and it remains red even after centuries of weathering.

Sand and loam lie here over red sandstone, interspersed with clay minerals and oxides, which give the wine its mineral nerve. The plots are located in mountain vineyards between 300 and 400 meters, small and harvested individually.

The yield per vine is reduced to 60 hectoliters per hectare, which is exceptionally low for a Gewürztraminer. Fewer grapes per vine mean more fragrance per grape, and the entire complexity of this wine depends on that calculation.

An evening in late spring

The young Arenis carries its youth well, as the floral note is currently at its most powerful.

On the terrace, when the evenings stay light for a long time, a cold bottle and a cheese board are all you need. The wine will age well for another three to four years, after which the floral notes will give way to a honeyed maturity. Those looking for more from the south of South Tyrol will find it in the Cantina Kurtatsch collection. Tramin is just around the corner.

Origin, values, and awards

• Origin: Wine from Italy
• Region: South Tyrol - Alto Adige DOC
• Grape variety: Gewürztraminer
• 14.0% vol. alcohol
• 5.4 g/l acidity
• 4.0 g/l residual sugar
• Awards for previous 2023 vintage: 90 points Falstaff, 90 points Vinum