The wine of the month

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Steyer, Gewurztraminer, 2024

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5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP

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February 2026: Steyer, Gewurztraminer, 2024 (approx. 14 EUR/16 USD; selling price on the internet excluding delivery costs) white semi-dry wine, Štajerska, Slovenia, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (28-02-2026 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

 

With this wine, one of the world's best winemakers of Gewurztraminer-wines (if not the best) confirms that he (Danilo Steyer) is, after that had been in the Twilight Zone for a long time and had produced mediocre Alsace-like sweet and uninspiring Gewurztraminer-wines, definitely on the way back. Back to absolutely brilliant dry 50% Gewurztraminer-cuvées, like the Steyer Mark Cuvée 2017 (5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP; article about wine coming), to semi-dry 100% Gewurztraminer-wines, which NJ Wines used to try before, Gewurztraminer-wines like this absolutely brilliant Gewurztraminer-wine. In which the balance between freshness, sweetness, fruitiness, minerality and dryness is absolutely perfect. The aroma is characterized by yellow ripe pears, yellow ripe apple, yellow ripe quinces, white flowers and sweet spices. The taste is characterized by yellow ripe apple, yellow ripe quinces, yellow ripe pears, sweet spices, minerals and grapefruit. The interplay between tartaric acid, fruitiness and tannins is fabulous. This contributes to that Steyer Gewurztraminer 2024 can be aged for at least 10 years, i.e. until at least 2036. Bravo Steyer!

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Thanks to its freshness, dryness, complexity, minerality and tannins, Steyer Gewurztraminer 2024 will go really well with many dishes. Here are some suggestions: chicken soup, grilled salmon with white wine sauce and boiled baby potatoes or buttery mashed potatoes, butter-fried cod fillet with hollandaise sauce and boiled baby potatoes or buttery mashed potatoes, grilled corn chicken or grilled pork chops or grilled lamb chops with grilled red peppers, grilled tomatoes, grilled zucchini, potato croquettes and bearnaise sauce, Bouillabaisse, Crawfish Etouffee, cold smoked salmon with crème bonjour horseradish and dill-fried baby potatoes, toast Skagen, oven-roasted turkey with moderately sweet cherry sauce and roasted root vegetables, and foie gras with oven-baked baguette filled with butter and pressed garlic. As can be seen from the previously described dishes, food combinations with Steyer Gewurztraminer 2024 are almost endless. This brilliant wine should be enjoyed at 8 to 10°C, as an aperitif or wine to hang out with friends or as a wine with food, should be served in tulip-shaped glasses, if possible, from Orrefors, Riedel or Spiegelau. Because these preserve freshness and acid while directing fruity and floral aromas toward the nose.

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Steyer Gewurztraminer 2024 consists of 100% Gewurztraminer. The grapes for the wine come from the vines that are 20 years old and that are planted in the Plitvički Vrh vineyard, which is located in the Štajerska wine region. The soil on which the vines grow consists of clay and sand. The grapes for the wine are harvested by hand and carefully selected both in the vineyard and upon arrival at the winery. After the destemming- and crushing-process, the grape mass, which consists of pulp, grape skins and seeds, is macerated in 2,500 litres stainless steel tanks under a controlled temperature of around 20°C for 24 hours. After the maceration, the grape mass goes into a press machine. The must that flows by itself is drawn off. What remains, the press residue, is then pressed very carefully to extract "press wine", which is more colour rich and tannin rich. Once the pressing is complete, the entire extracted must is poured into 2,500 litres stainless steel tanks where it is fermented and malolactic fermented under a controlled temperature of around 20 degrees. The wine is then aged on its lees, in the same stainless steel tanks in which it was fermented and malolactic fermented, for 6 months. After the aging, the wine is filtered and bottled, and aged for another 4 to 6 months before being released on the market. 12,000 0,75 litre bottles are produced per year.

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Steyer's wines can be ordered on the Slovenian website Koželj Wines.