Gewurztraminer (guh – wertz – trah – meaner) is a hard wine to pin down. Sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes it’s oily, sometimes it’s effervescent, and other times…it is none of these things. So when I picked up Valckenberg’s 2010 Gewurztraminer for $13.99 at Whole Foods, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I was surprised to find a well balanced representation of what Gewurztraminer can be: highly aromatic, off dry, silky, and delicious.

The wine was the color of straw and literally smelled like sweet perfume: honeysuckle, white flowers, and rose petals combined with white peach nectar and ripe pear. It was a bit weighty for a white wine on the palate, but that is typical for this grape variety. Gewurztraminer just doesn’t build up acidity like say, a Riesling, does – even in cooler climates. Because it lacks acidity, it can often feel heavy on the palate – almost oily. However, this wine had a green and gala apple note on the palate that helped balance out the silky texture. So, it was still refreshing and crisp in its own way.

From a pairing perspective, this wine would go well with spicy food, barbeque chicken or shrimp, and seafood. I enjoyed it with a spicy curry but think it could also stand on its own.