Gewurztraminer and Muller-Thurgau in Basilicata: two aromatic wines that came in from the cold

Aromatic Varieties

Gewürztraminer and Müller-Thurgau fall into the category of so-called Aromatic Varieties and Wines. If we want to be absolutely precise, aromatic varieties are few and far between being only those in which the smell of the grape is also found in the wine and, in fact, these aromas are called primary aromas. The classic example is Moscato. Have you ever tried tasting a Moscato grape? It's almost spicy, with notes of orange blossom and pear and sometimes hints of musk. Well, you can find the same smell in the wine.

Sometimes other grapes are placed in this group which, strictly speaking, shouldn't be there; so, apart from the four classic varieties of Moscato, Traminer, Riesling and Brachetto , we can also find Müller-Thurgau and Sauvignon as well as international varieties such as Torrontés from Argentina and the Spanish Albariño.

What do all of these grapes have in common?

The answer is obvious: aromatic intensity, complexity and a distinctive and very easy-to-recognize character. If you taste an aromatic wine just once, from then on you'll be able to pick it out from thousands. They are all very intense and very well-defined on the nose. Notes of Chinese lychee, rose petals and grapefruit can usually be found in Gewürztraminer while Sauvignon suggests peppers, tomato leaf and white peach; Viogner has pear and peach, powder puff and vanilla cream, Riesling hydrocarbons and in Müller-Thurgau  there's geranium, flowers and aromatic herbs, and citrus fruit.

The Territories of Gewurztraminer and Muller-Thurgau

Many aromatic grapes are white and grow in areas with a continental climate and big day-night temperature swings. This is very important for developing and retaining aromas.

As the name suggests, it seems that Traminer originated in the area of Termeno, in the province of Bolzano: Tramin is in fact the German translation of Termeno, while Gewürz means spicy, scented. Müller-Thurgau has a strange history: it was born in the Swiss canton of Thurgau from an idea by Hermann Müller who worked at the Wine Institute of Gelsenheim in Germany. By crossing the two grape varieties of Riesling and Chasselas  the quality of the first is combined with the resilience of the second. The resulting grape is thus very suited to growing in cold and rigid climates.

Varieties which like the cold

So both of these varieties like the cold, in which case what are they doing in Basilicata? The Re Manfredi Winery had the idea of planting them many years ago and the idea turned out to be inspired. Here we have Re Manfredi Bianco in a place which is perfect for it: on the slopes of the Vulture mountain where the just as famous Aglianico comes from, volcanic soils and warm temperatures but not sultry or humid in summer, with big day-night temperature swings and a long growing season, harvesting taking place well into September, so that the grapes can take their time developing their aromas.

All these characteristics which are unusual for a region in the south of Italy, make the area very "northern" and so quite hospitable towards such demanding and fickle grapes. Brought together in a single blend, the succulent richness of the Traminer and its smooth, ripe and tropical fruitiness find a perfect balance in the fresh Muller-Thurgau with its sage and balsamic notes, creating a supreme harmony.

Pairings

Aromatic wines are brilliant as apéritifs but also ideally match similarly strong-flavored food.

They can take the edge off hot and peppery dishes making them perfect for oriental food such as Indian or Thai dishes. And the same goes for the very briny flavor of raw fish or shellfish which is balanced out by the smoothness of the Traminer. They can also be used for white meat served with rich and flavorsome sauces, or smoked meat, and for speck spectacularly so!

And now put your senses to the test and discover the fantastic fragrance of our aromatic wines!!