General information
Gewürztraminer – officially "Roter Traminer" – is one of the oldest and most aromatic grape varieties in the world. Its name refers to the town of Tramin in South Tyrol, where it has been cultivated since the 11th century. In Germany, it was already grown alongside Riesling around 1500 in the "Gemischter Satz" (Gemischter Satz). Today, Gewürztraminer is particularly popular in Alsace, South Tyrol, and in niche areas within the Palatinate. Despite accounting for less than 1% of German viticulture, it remains a beloved and prestigious variety among winemakers worldwide.

Grape
The bunches are relatively small, close together, and short-stemmed. The round to elongated berries have a thick skin and turn pink to brownish-red. Ripening occurs from mid-late to late. Gewürztraminer is known for its distinct rose aroma, which varies depending on the harvest year and soil type. The variety is prone to failure to flower in poor weather, which can be partially mitigated by using a weaker rootstock.

Wine
Gewürztraminer wines are highly expressive and distinctive. Typical aromas include rose petals, lychee, physalis, almonds, and walnuts. The wines range from dry to richly sweet, with rich aromas of exotic and dried fruit, often full-bodied and intensely grapey in character.

Cultivation advice
The location should be warm, sheltered from the wind, and well-drained. Because of its sensitivity to dripping and flowering failure, light, quickly warming soils are ideal. The requirements for soil and location are relatively high.

Preparing the vine
Soak your vine in a bucket of water for 24 hours. This allows it to soak up some water before planting.

Ground preparation

• On calcareous soil: improve with lava grit
• On sandy soil: improve with bentonite and lava flour

Planting out
Using a soil auger or spade, dig a planting hole 10 cm in diameter and approximately 30 cm deep. Insert the graft just above the ground, so that the vine protrudes 5 to 10 cm above the ground. Plant your vines between May 1st and 15th.

Planting distance

• In line: 1 meter
• Between rows: 1.5 to 1.8 meters