“Epokale” Gewürztraminer Spätlese Alto Adige DOC 2017 dolce · 0,75l in OWC

Kellerei Tramin | Cantina Termeno | South Tyrol
Kellerei Tramin | Weinstrasse 144 | IT 39040 Termeno

01091717 · 0,75 l · 532,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping5 units available
Limitation of 1 articles per customer

Four kilometres deep inside the mountain, 450 metres below the surface, in absolute darkness: here, in the disused silver mine of Ridanna Monteneve at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, a silent metamorphosis is taking place. For seven years, 2,150 bottles of Epokale rest at a constant 11 degrees and 90 per cent humidity – an ageing process that pays homage to a bygone era when sweet Gewürztraminer late harvests were still the kings of Alpine wine culture. The name says it all: Epokale – epochal. The 2009 vintage made history as the first Italian white wine to be awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. What Willi Stürz, cellar master and technical director of Cantina Tramin for 35 years, has empirically observed over decades was recently confirmed by a scientific study by the Fondazione Mach: Gewürztraminer is one of the few white wines in the world that not only preserves itself, but also potentiates and refines itself over twenty years. Monoterpenes – the flavouring substances that produce roses, nutmeg, mango and lychee – are slowly released over the years in enzymatic processes that give the wine ever new facets.

The 2017 vintage comes from two ancient Gewürztraminer vineyards at the Nussbaumerhof in Tramin, on limestone gravel and loam over porphyry subsoil. Slightly overripe grapes, harvested in late October, four weeks of fermentation at 18 degrees, eight months on the lees in steel tanks – then the journey to the mine, where silence and cold complete their work. The glass is an intense golden yellow colour. The nose explodes: Rose petals, lavender, ripe mango, lychee, passion fruit, honeydew melon – then cloves, saffron, ginger, nutmeg, sage. Monumental depth unfolds on the palate: powerful yet graceful, carried by mineral tension. 66 grams of residual sugar are counterbalanced by lively acidity, the final is endless. A wine that ennobles apple strudel, caresses Taleggio, but also wants to be meditated on its own – a white monument from the depths of the Alps. SUPERIORE.DE

"The densely woven nose reveals delicate smoky notes, fresh rose petals, light-coloured blossom honey and a hint of resin. Dense and juicy on the palate, salted lemon, herbal spice, lychee. Almost savoury, delicate and deep, compact and beguilingly balanced." Vinum

"Intense, rich light gold colour with a sparkling core. Strong and intensely fragrant nose of rose petals, ripe yellow peach, some banana, nutmeg, milk chocolate, with an aftertaste of dried apricots and coconut flakes. Beautifully balanced on the palate, with a radiant sweet core, savoury melting texture, elegant creaminess and enormous length." Falstaff

"An intense wine. White roses are enhanced by peaches, apricot juice and bittersweet depth. Very exotic and sweet with an oily texture and flavours of orange marmalade." James Suckling

"The 2017 Gewürztraminer Epokale is deeply seductive, with a mix of dusty dried flowers, white peach, crushed stone, almonds and a hint of petrol. It is richly textured with a remarkable inner sweetness contrasted by vibrant acidity, while mineral-tinged nectarine mingles with a lemon saturation towards the finish. The wine shows remarkable length and freshness as a noticeable salty crispness lingers along with sour lime and nuances of sage." Vinous

"It is always a pleasure to taste this special wine, which matures in the bottle for seven years underground in a disused mine. The Gewürztraminer Spätlese Epokale 2017 opens with a bright golden lustre and aromas of biscuit, soft honey, white flowers and beeswax. The second nose reveals spicy hints of ginger and white liquorice. It is a full-bodied, semi-sweet wine with a dense, glossy texture. The fruit comes from a one-hectare plot planted on calcareous gravel and clay on a porphyry rock. This winery has made the excellence of Gewürztraminer its life's work. Unfortunately, only 2,150 bottles were produced." Wine Advocate