Great Gewurztraminer from Grapes

Why make a wine you can’t even pronounce? If you’ve ever tasted a Gewürztraminer, you already know the answer. At its finest, this most distinctive white wine has an exotic, spicy flavor with hints of ginger and cinnamon. It is full-bodied, dry and slightly fruity. Gewürztraminer grapes are as unique as the wine. The origin of the fruit, as well as the name — it means “spicy” in German and is pronounced guh-VERTZ-truh-meener — is the Alsace region of southwestern Germany. The berries are small and often a pretty pink color, depending on how ripe they are.     The clusters grow tight to the main vine, making them difficult to pick by hand. Alsace winemakers are renowned for coaxing a spicy characteristic from this native varietal. On this side of the Atlantic, the grape is mostly grown in California and New York, since it does best in regions with warm days and cool nights. Afternoon sun builds the fruity characteristics in the grape, while the chill of evening helps stabilize the flavor compounds. From finding the uncommon grapes to fermenting