The Gewürztraminer Cheeseboard

Alsace Gewürztraminer is a richly aromatic and intensely flavourful wine, known for its lychee, rose petal, and exotic spice notes. Its slight sweetness, balanced acidity, and lush mouthfeel make it an excellent pairing partner for a variety of cheeses, most effectively those with strong, complex flavours.

It is a divisive wine to me. In the wrong company it can come across as sickly, perhaps even brash. My wife is not a fan, and when drinking it up I am often tempted to dull it with ice. However intense pleasure comes from pairing it. It is a very accessible example of how food can change a person’s response to a wine while still showing off its full character.

You will enjoy these.

Here is my Cheeseboard for Gewurztraminer:

1. Münster (Alsace)

• Tasting Notes: This classic cheese from the Alsace region itself is a natural pairing with Gewürztraminer. Münster has a washed rind, giving it a pungent aroma that contrasts beautifully with the wine’s floral and fruity notes. The cheese is creamy and smooth, with a savory, slightly tangy taste that is enriched by the wine’s exotic spices and honeyed sweetness. When paired, the Gewürztraminer enhances the umami depth of Münster, while the cheese tames the wine’s intense aromatics, creating a harmonious balance.
• Key Flavors: Savory, tangy, slightly pungent, creamy.

Munster Substitute

Munster is a relatively unusual cheese. If you cant find, it, use Epoisses, also known as Epoisses de Bourgogne. From further south in France out of Alsace, but it none the less is a great pairing. Epoisses is more savoury and salty than Munster, especially when fully ripe, but otherwise the notes above will work just as well.

2. Roquefort

• Tasting Notes: Roquefort is a strong blue cheese with intense flavors of tangy blue mold, salt, and cream. The sweetness of Gewürztraminer contrasts wonderfully with Roquefort’s sharp, salty profile, balancing the cheese’s assertiveness with the wine’s luscious fruit and floral character. The pairing creates a complex interplay between the saltiness of the cheese and the sweet, spice-laden notes of the wine, making for an indulgent experience.
• Key Flavors: Tangy blue mold, salty, creamy, sharp.

3. Brie de Meaux

• Tasting Notes: This soft, creamy cheese from the Brie region to the east of Paris is characterized by a bloomy mushroomy rind and a buttery, earthy interior. Gewürztraminer pairs well with Brie de Meaux due to the wine’s ability to cut through the richness of the cheese, while also complementing its earthy and nutty undertones. The lychee and rose flavors of the wine lift the delicate flavors of the Brie, making the pairing both refreshing and indulgent.
• Key Flavors: Buttery, mushroomy, creamy, earthy.

Pairing Summary

• Münster: Enhances umami and balances pungency with sweet and spicy notes.
• Roquefort: Balances sharp saltiness with fruity and floral sweetness.
• Brie de Meaux: Cuts through creaminess and complements earthy, nutty flavors.

Each of these cheeses interacts with the Gewürztraminer in a unique way, highlighting different aspects of the wine’s complex flavour profile while matching up to the wine’s dancing showiness, making them perfect choices for a cheese board featuring this distinctive Alsace wine.