Make Mine A Double

Wine Review: Traminer Aromatico Friuli and Camille Meyer Grand Cru Mambourg Gewurztraminer from Lidl

Two different styles of Gewurz from the Lidl Easter Wine Cellar

I recently posted a review of two easy drinking whites from the Lidl Easter Wine Cellar. Now it’s time to look at two different Gewurztraminers, hailing from different countries and made in very different styles.

Traminer Aromatico Friuli 2019

This wine is from the north eastern Italian area of Friuli, part of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region that borders Slovenia to the east and Austria to the north. The name Traminer Aromatico is simply the Italian for “Aromatic Traminer” rather than “Spicy Traminer” which is the literal translation of its full German name.

“So when did Italian Gewürztraminer become a thing?” you might ask. Well the grape actually has its origins in Italy, in the South-Tyrolean1 village of Tramin. A couple of mutations during its travels around Europe turned it pink and made it very aromatic. In Jura the pink but non-spicy version is known as Savagnin (Rose); in a few villages in the north of Alsace the same grape is responsible for the mouthful that is Klevener de Heiligenstein.

When poured this Traminer does actually have a tinge of colour, unlike many other aromatic wines which can be water white. The nose is restrained but has touches of Turkish delight and lychees. The palate is something of a surprise, with crisp, green notes and no rich oiliness. Whereas Gewurz usually shows exotic spices this has more of a herb garden to it.

This is a gentle wine that, for me, has more in common with a good Argentinian Torrontés or a Jura Savagnin than a typical Gewurz; the 12.5% alcohol is a good indicator of its weight.

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €8.99
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores from Thursday 25th March 2021
  • Source: Media sample

Camille Meyer Alsace Grand Cru Mambourg Gewurztraminer 2018

There are records of wine grapes being produced on the Mambourg hillside dating back to 783. Situated by the town of Sigolsheim, this Grand Cru vineyard is over 1.3 km across and nearly 62 hectares in area. Gewurztraminer is the main variety grown but there are also plantings of the other three noble grapes: Pinot Gris, Muscat and Riesling. Being such a large Cru means that quality might vary from plot to plot. The celebrated Marcel Deiss makes a fantastic Grand Cru Mambourg blend which shows that it can make stunning wines.

Whereas above we looked at a wine in the style of Traminer and Savagnin Rose, full-on spicy Gewurztraminer is one of the most recognisable wines from Alsace – and this bottle from Camille Meyer is exactly that. The nose is very expressive, so you can tick off the typical notes of lychee, rose petals and Turkish delight. There are a few herbal notes on the palate but spices are to the fore, particularly ginger.

There’s a decent level of residual sugar in this wine – which is a big positive for me in an Alsace Gewurz – and a finger in the air figure of 25 g/L is my guess. The sugar does mask a lack of complexity, and the level of oiliness is lower than many.

I believe that Camille Meyer is a private label owned by Lidl, and given the price it’s totally understandable that this wine doesn’t have the class that I’d expect from a Grand Cru wine. Indeed, there are non Grand Cru Gewurztraminers that are significantly better than this wine – Meyer Fonné comes to mind – but they are also significantly more expensive. This bottle therefore represents very good value for money.

  • ABV: 13.5%
  • RRP: €14.99
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores from Thursday 25th March 2021
  • Source: Media sample

Conclusion

Although ostensibly made from the same grape variety these two wines are totally different in style. If you are already a lower of good Gewurz then it’s the Alsace bottle that you should put in your trolley. If you prefer drier, more restrained wines than give the Italian bottle a try. And if you’re not sure, buy both and compare for yourself!


The full list of wines included in the Lidl Ireland Easter Wine Cellar is below, with links to reviews as applicable.

Whites:

Reds:

  • Mészáros Pinot Noir, €9.99
  • Casato dei Medici Riccardi Chianti Colli Senesi 2018, €11.99
  • Casato dei Medici Riccardi Chianti Rufina 2018, €9.99
  • Bellanova Primitivo di Manduria 2019, €9.99
  • Duca di Sasseta Ser Passo Toscana Rosso 2018, €12.99
  • La Croix des Celestins Beaujolais Brouilly 2019, €11.99

1 The South Tyrol (Südtirol in German, Alto Adige in Italian) was formerly part of Austria-Hungary but annexed by Italy at the end of the second World War. After many deliberations and consultations since then, it is now fully bilingual and has a large degree of autonomy.


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