Gewurztraminer

The Wine Commission lists 20 varieties grown in this state, from the popular cabernet sauvignon for red wines to the specialized Gewürztraminer aromatic grape used in white wines.

Seung Hee more bluntly scoffs at the ignorance of sommeliers in the West who “pigeonhole Asian cuisine as heavily seasoned” and recommend pairings only of Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

Piercingly tart Riesling, for example, contributes green apple, stone fruit and citrus notes to Sekt, while fragrant Gewurztraminer adds flavors of lychee and spice.

Torrontés, like gewürztraminer, can be excessively floral.

We also have a trio of aromatic whites: an outstanding riesling from the Finger Lakes, a torrontés from Argentina and a spicy gewürztraminer from California.