Comparison
Gewürztraminer vs Pinot Gris
How Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Gewürztraminer has more floral character; Gewürztraminer has more fruit intensity; Gewürztraminer has more aromatic intensity.
Choose
Gewürztraminer
Choose Gewürztraminer if you want something more floral, fruitier, more aromatic.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Gewürztraminer is more floral: high against low-medium.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Gewürztraminer is fruitier: high against medium.
Aromatic intensity
Clear differenceHow strongly the wine smells before it is tasted. Some grapes are intrinsically aromatic; others express mainly on the palate.
Gewürztraminer is more aromatic: high against medium.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Gewürztraminer is spicier: medium-plus against low-medium.
Sweetness
Clear differencePerceived sugar in the finished wine, driven mainly by residual sugar but modified by acidity, alcohol and fruit ripeness.
Gewürztraminer is sweeter: medium against low-medium.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Pinot Gris is fresher and more acidic: medium against low-medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Savoury character: Similar — both low-medium.
- Herbal / green character: Similar — both low.
- Earthy character: Similar — both low.
- Carbonation: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Gewürztraminer | Pinot Gris |
|---|---|---|
| Floral character | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Spice | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Sweetness | typically medium, ranging from low to medium-plus (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Acidity | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Oak influence | low (1/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Savoury character | low-medium (2/5) | low-medium (2/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 10–13°C | 10–13°C |
| Typical flavours | lychee, rose petal, ginger, orange blossom, allspice | pear, green apple, lemon, honeysuckle, ginger |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Gewürztraminer
The most unmistakably aromatic white variety: lychee, rose and ginger, with low acidity and often a touch of sweetness.
Grape
Pinot Gris
A pink-skinned mutation of Pinot Noir that makes two utterly different wines depending on whether the label says Gris or Grigio.
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