While browsing the aisles at the biggest Italian Wine Faire hosted in Verona, Vinitaly 2017, I had the pleasure of being invited by Irene Graziotto to sample a few of the wines by the Cantina Tramin from Alto Adige, Italy.
As it happens when you give a shoutout on social media as invite friends and followers to get in touch as I did…
Just Made it to #Vinitaly2017 ??????
Give me a Shoutout if you're there and want to Meet Up ????? pic.twitter.com/NdUff4csBl— Julien Miquel #Wine (@JMiquelWine) April 10, 2017
Great opportunities arise.
Cantina (or Kellerei in German) Tramin is a wine growers’ co-operative founded in 1898, and located in the Sudtiral-Alto Adige wine region of Northern Italy.
The owners of the winery are the 300 growers who cultivate vineyards in the sub-zones of Termeno, Ora, Montagna and Egna. The vineyard surface area is nearly 250 hectares in total, mostly famous for the production of Gewürztraminer grapes & wine.
The winery produces a variety of red and white wines, generally released as varietal wines including:
- Whites: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Moscato Giallo, Müller Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc.
- Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Lagrein, Merlot, Moscato Rosa, Pinot Noir, Schiava (Vernatsch)
Here are the ones I had the opportunity to sample and my…
Tasting Notes
2015 Cantina Tramin Unterrebner Pinot Grigio
From vineyards at 450 to 700 meters of altitude. The grapes are left ripening in the vineyard for a long time to obtain a high level of maturity. Aged for 11 months on its lees, 80% in wooden tank and 20% in tonneau (large wine barrels).
Score: 87/100
Tasting Notes: Bright and shiny lemon yellow color, medium intensity though relatively intense for a Pinot Grigio suggesting there is some matter in there. This impression is confirmed on the nose, great fruity intensity dominated by stonefruit aromas of peach and apricot; it’s also very floral. Very elegant mouthfeel, with light body but very subtle fruity complexity of flavors: grassy spiciness, heaps of citrus, and stonefruit again. Outstanding salivating bitterness to the finish that will make it extremely food friendly.
2007 Cantina Tramin Unterrebner Pinot Grigio
Score: 88/100
Tasting Notes: Slightly evolved color but remaining bright. The nose here with the evolution has taken much spiciness, that adds great depth to the fruity and floral character of the Grigio. Likewise, the palate explodes in a combination of spices (white pepper and nutmeg) as well as delicious sweet nuts and citrus jam. A rather outstanding complexity, showing good Pinot Grigio from the Alto Adige area actually does benefit greatly from ageing, even up to 10 years which is very unexpected.
2015 Cantina Tramin Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer
Score: 88/100
Tasting Notes: A bright and intense lemon yellow color makes it look shiny, medium intensity. The nose however is not shy and very explosive in a typical Gewürztraminer fashion. It’s an explosion of stonefruit, bright fresh peach and very ripe apricot, combined with heaps of elderflower. This is a slightly off-dry wine, with hints of sweetness but the good acidity make it feel rather dry for the style. Great smoothness on the palate, it feels silky and mineral, a great balance. The whole feels like a cloud of flowers and fruit on your palate, light and evanescent somehow despite the solid flavor intensity. Extremely balanced and enjoyable. Some enjoyable phenolics add length and underlines the velvety feel.
2013 Cantina Tramin Terminum Late Harvest (Vendemmia Tardiva) Gewurztraminer
Score: 90/100
Tasting Notes: 280 grams of residual sugars. Beautiful bright yellow color with gold hues. The nose literally explodes in rich and gorgeous aromas of apricot jam, lily, ripe peach, and elegant spiciness. Rather sweet, it’s also an explosion of flavors on the palate, with nutty characters joining forces with fruit jaminess and touches of botrytis characters for a stunning experience, complex and powerful. Literally a fruit bomb experience, also quite sweet but very well balanced by a solid acidity.
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