Beyond Chardonnay

Thirty years on from the first release of Nino Culotta's observations, it's hard to deny that we Aussies are still a weird mob. How else can you explain our steadfast adherence to a 'meat-n-three-veg' approach to wine selection when we consume so many dishes from so many remote parts of the planet?

Sure, Shiraz and Chardonnay can be pretty dependable performers when it comes to matching wines with food, but there's a better life beyond the dull and predictable.

Much neglected – especially in the face of Eastern cuisines such as Thai or Malay – are the white wines made from Traminer or Gewürztraminer. (Don't be fooled by the names. The two are one and the same).

A native of northern and central Europe, Traminer (pronounced 'tre-mee-ner') produces its best in cool parts of the world, where it's able to develop its clearest varietal characters during long, gradual ripening.

The Traminers of Alsace, France, provide the benchmark wines of the variety.

Not far removed in absolute quality and style are the wines made by Tasmanian producers, Pipers Brook Vineyard and Moorilla Estate, and marketed locally as Gewürztraminer.

The variety was introduced to Moorilla Estate by vineyard founder Claudio Alcorso.

According to Moorilla Estate's Tim Goddard, Gewürztraminer is a variety that provides plenty of versatility in the way that it delivers its aromas and flavours.

"No matter whether people like sweeter or a drier style of wine as such, most aren't disappointed because the varietal aromas of lychee and musk give an indication of sweetness, but on the palate the fruit is generally fruity and aromatic, yet not over-sweet. It tends to be a long and satisfying style of wine."

"It's a terrific variety and it has such a lot of flexibility. It can be bone dry, quite oily and viscous, young and floral, and on through to incredibly sweet. And it's just a super wine with lightly spiced Asian food, something that's part of our lifestyle in the 1990s – eating and drinking lightly, and getting up the next morning and doing it all again the next day."

That noted, the variety is fast becoming an industry dinosaur on the mainland.

'Gewürz" is all but extinct in Australia,' noted Lester Jesberg in the October 1993 edition of Winewise magazine.

'Little wonder. Most makers insisted on producing sugary flaccid lavender water beverages in the mistaken belief that consumers wanted them. The 1993 Pipers Brook Vineyard Gewürztraminer is a survivor because it's serious. Fragrant, spicy and melony with a rich mouthfeel, and a clean dry finish.'

Pipers Brook co-founder Dr Andrew Pirie agrees that poor viticulture and winemaking have played key roles in the variety being so under appreciated.

"Its relatively poor profile with the wine press is largely the result of reviewers' exposure to low quality wines from areas unsuitable to its production.

"Poor old Gewürz always gets pushed to the back of reviews with less column inches.

"Those few bottles we sell are growing in respect, although the wine is under threat from the accountants because the yields are so low.

"But there is no question about its quality status. And what else would you drink with grilled Tasmanian scallops with coriander and ginger?"

What else indeed?

First published 11 April 1996: The Advocate

Last page update: 24 August 2026