Gewurztraminer, 2017. Ruhlmann

Alsace is German in origin, but for centuries France has waged wars with Germany, claiming it as its own. It is at the most eastern part of France, making it important logistically. The fight for it started early on, in the 17th Century and didn't end until WWII, when France finally became the victor and Alsace became French. One only need to look at the language, the names, the food, and the wines to be convinced that it really belongs to the French.

The estate for our Gewurztraminer selection was founded in 1688 by a Hungarian knight named Ruhlmann. It has remained in his family ever since, but they only began making their own wines in 1960. At first Jean-Charles Ruhlmann and his wife, Marthe, made wines for themselves and their neighbors. However, as you can imagine, the demand exceeded the supply, so they decided a few years later to build the winery.

Andre Ruhlmann took over the estate in 1980 upon his father's passing and, in 1993, formed a partnership with an international financier, Jean-Victor Schutz. Schutz's connections increased demand for the wines all over the world and helped them afford the purchase of some of the most revered vineyards in Alsace.

Gewurztraminer is one of Ruhlmann's prized possessions, and this wine certainly shows that. On the nose, it exhibits spice and stonefruit. On the palate, it's medium weight and will pair nicely with any stir frys, such as chicken or vegetables. It is ready to drink now, but will last in your cellars 2 to 4 years.

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