Joseph Cattin Vieilles Vignes Gewürztraminer 2020 Alsace, France 75cl

The Cattin family has farmed vines at Voegtlinshoffen in Alsace since the eighteenth century, and Gewürztraminer is one of the grapes the region and this house are known for. This bottling comes from older vines, whose lower yields tend to give more concentrated, characterful fruit, and it is a style the Cattins have made their name on.

Gewürztraminer is Alsace’s most exotic and instantly recognisable grape, all lychee, rose and spice. This is a pure varietal wine, and the Vieilles Vignes, or old vines, are the key to its depth, digging deep into the varied soils around the village to concentrate the fruit. It is a wine that wears its aromatics proudly.

The 2020 growing season in Alsace was warm and sunny, ripening Gewürztraminer fully and giving wines with plenty of aromatic intensity and body. That ripeness suits the grape, which needs warmth to reach its heady, spicy peak.

Expect powerful aromas of lychee, rose petal, grapefruit and exotic spice. The palate is rich and full-bodied, its fruit balanced by a fresh finish that keeps it from feeling heavy. Serve chilled but not ice-cold to let the perfume show.

Gewürztraminer is one of the great partners for hard-to-match food. This is a natural with aromatic Asian dishes, mild curries, spiced pork, Munster and other washed-rind cheeses, or the classic Alsace pairing of foie gras. Its heady perfume and generous body stand up to flavours that would overwhelm a lighter white, which is exactly why it has such a loyal following. It also makes a striking glass on its own.