It’s a bit strange to think of Cantina Tramin making an existential gamble.
After all, this is third oldest cooperative winery in Italy’s South Tyrol. Founded in 1898, it took Tramin almost three quarters of a century to make a major business move (merging with Cantina Sociale di Egna). Their current winemaker, Willi Stürz (who, along with Sales Director Wolfgang Klotz, led me through an online tasting of Tramin’s recent offerings), has been with Tramin for three decades (Klotz is a relative newcomer, having been with the company “only” twenty years).
Tramin just doesn’t seem like the kind of outfit that would make a big move to gamble on its future. But in the 1980s, that’s precisely what they did. As Klotz explained during our tasting, “Up until the `80s, we made simple wines, mostly bulk wines [and those mostly red, made from Schiava]. A change came in general in Alto Adige. In the Middle Ages, [Alto Adige] was named one of the most prestigious wine areas. Basically, it was a step back towards white wines, starting to focus on reducing the yield and replanting by selecting every single micro area.”
It was a fairly big risk, and a bold answer to a potentially existential issue. And it paid off in spades.
As Klotz described, Tramin sits in an “open space in the heart of the Alps,” in the most northern area of Italy, which combines an extremely sunny spot with the nearby Alpine cool climate, winds coming in from Lake Garda, and a large diurnal temperature shift. “It’s very unique and a combination that we can see in the wines. Ripening happens later than other areas in the same altitude [about 200-850 meters above sea level].” The area has about 5,000 ha, but also about the same number of winegrowers; this very fractured setup created the need for cooperatives like Tramin.
Given the quality of the wines we tasted, it’s almost insane to think of Tramin as not specializing in white wine production. Thankfully, we don’t live in that sad variant of the multiverse…
2023 Cantina Tramin Kellerei Pinot Grigio, Trentino-Alto Adige, $20
According to Stürz, “Pinot Grigio in our zone is in the first hillside, from 250 to 400 meters in elevation. We have there a good climate, a sunny side, and during the night a good freshness and cooling,” promoting balance and acidity. Crafted mostly without malolactic fermentation in stainless steel, this white is herbal, floral, and mineral to start, with lots of citrus, a hint of salinity, and a sense of freshness right off the bat. In the mouth, it’s true to the nose and true to form, refreshing, citric, refined, but also juicy and rich—and thoroughly pleasurable.
2022 Cantina Tramin Kellerei Selections ‘Unterebner’ Pinot Grigio, Trentino-Alto Adige, $45
An iconic premium label for Tramin; they decided 30 years ago that PG was performing so well that it deserved a high-end treatment. The grapes are grown on calcareous soils with a higher concentration of clay, planted up to about 1,500 feet. Stürz notes that “the vinification we use is longer, with very low pressure. The fermentation and maturation is in oak [500 L and in 3000 L casks), and the wine is on the lees for one year.” It kicks off with intense florals, salinity, wonderful freshness coming off aromatically, with great purity in the citrus notes. In the mouth, you can see why it needs time on the lees to round it out and give it a hint of creaminess: the acidity is RAGING. Notes of chalk, jasmine, and a pleasant astringent structure mingle with the focused citrus and green apple fruitiness, all culminating in a fantastically long finish. Love this—gorgeous now, but could easily age in bottle for 5+ years.
2022 Cantina Tramin Kellerei Selections ‘Stoan’ White, Trentino-Alto Adige, $44
Stoan means “stone” in the local German dialect, and Klotz says that “it’s a wine that brings our micro area into the glass,” a Chardonnay-based blend with a bit of Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Bianco and Gewürztraminer, sourced about 500 meters. And it’s totally jumping out of the glass… herbs, grass, pine, peppers, spices, roses… This asserts itself immediately. Stone fruits, apples, citrus, gooseberry (a little SB goes a long way here), there are nice combinations of the familiar and the exotic going on in the mouth. Texture-wise, this is fresh, balanced, crisp, mineral, and long. Apparently, this white is a star performer for them (especially in wine competitions) and it’s easy to see why: it’s stellar, and instantly likeable.
2020 Cantina Tramin Kellerei ‘Troy’ Chardonnay Riserva, Alto Adige – Sudtirol, $90
Klotz: “Since 2015, we took three of the most historical plots and made a 100% Chardonnay out of it.” The name means “path,” and is meant to represent their Chardonnay journey. Willi Stürz: “The grapes are ripe; not overripe, but ripe. The pressing is very long, with low pressure. Maturation is in barrique for more or less one year.” The nose here is just superb, and pretty much flawless. Apricot, yellow apples, white flowers, jasmine, white peach, flint; it’s just pitch-perfect. In the mouth, it’s surprisingly mineral, almost chalky in its hints of stone. The citrus and yellow apple mingle with little hints of mandarin, all just-ripe, and all beautiful. Hints of toast hit during a very, very, very long finish. Fantastic.
2022 Cantina Tramin Kellerei Selections ‘Nussbaumer’ Gewürztraminer, Alto Adige, $43
This is Tramin’s most historic label. Much to talk about regarding the nose: grapes, lychee, mint, rose petals, smoke, spices, and a wonderful sense of purity and focus. There’s little fat on the bone here, with the mouthfeel starting out floral and fruity, but quickly displaying its linear acidity and astringent structure. There are even delicate elements to this, it seems to be more about character and expressiveness than assertiveness or richness, making it a uniquely elegant representation of the variety.
Cheers!