Bonjour, and to all my friends in the US, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!
With the holidays fast approaching, I have decided to share a few wine-themed newsletters in the coming weeks. Around this time of year, many people are not only looking for culinary inspiration, but also wondering what to serve with special meals. Which wine goes with a fish or vegetarian meal on Christmas Eve, for example? How do we match wines to the courses in our menu? And what’s a good pairing for a festive brunch on Christmas Day?
The most important thing, of course, is not to leave choosing to the last minute when it comes to your menu and wine list. If you’re trying a new recipe, for example, give it a whirl well in advance and see how it pairs with different wines.
In today’s post I will be telling you about one of my recent discoveries in the fascinating world of Italian wine, Cantina Tramin. Founded in 1898, it is the third-oldest wine coop in the Alto Adige region in northeastern Italy and currently counts 160 winemaking families who produce high-quality wines with the help and expertise of winemaker supervisor and technical manager, Willi Stürz.
According to Stürz: “Our approach to innovations is conditioned by the desire to preserve the primary aromas in the grapes. Our grapes are supplied by member-growers from small, family-owned farms who, on average, cultivate less than one hectare of vineyard each. Consequently, the relationship between grower and land is still intimate. Growers work rows of vines with dedication and passion, vines which have often been planted by their grandfathers. Even though our company works grapes coming from 260 hectares of vineyards, the small-scale structure of farms enables us to act decisively on each individual row of vines. When grapes are delivered to the winery, we avoid damaging them by furthering them on conveyor belts into the press. The juice is extracted at low pressure and in all phases of the fermentation process we avoid the loss of aromas by eschewing the use of pumps and by controlling the fermentation temperature to prevent evaporation of aromas. This way, we enhance the potential of the grapes.”
Cantina Tramin is renowned for its exceptional whites, especially Gewürztraminer (the Epokale Gewürztraminer was the first Italian white awarded 100/100 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate), but their collection also includes reds, rosés and even sweet wines. Sustainability is important, which is why Cantina Tramin has shunned the use of herbicides on more than ninety percent of its vineyards. Additionally, twelve hectares are organic and more than ten are biodynamic.
During a wine tasting with Cantina Tramin and Studio Cru yesterday, I had the opportunity to sample five whites from their Selection range. What struck me the most was how each wine showed a perfect balance between fruit and acidity. The region’s climate, with plenty of sun (300 days a year) and mountain temperatures with cool nights, means that the wines are powerful and concentrated, yet retain great freshness and a pleasant acidity. These are elegant, gourmet whites that will impress at the table and can be paired with a wide variety of festive dishes.
Below is a brief recap of the wines and some pairing suggestions for everything from vegan/vegetarian to meat, fish, cheese and desserts.
Stoan 2021
Made from a blend of Chardonnay (accounting for >60% in this wine, it’s the coop’s second-most important variety after Gewürztraminer), 20% Sauvignon, 10% Weissburgunder and 15% Gewürztraminer. On the nose, the wine emerges with aromas of ripe apricot and pear, giving way to nuances of elderflower and hints of spice. The palate is elegant and balanced with a whisper of citrus and a subtle minerality. A good pairing would be a vitello tonnato or a vegetable terrine with roasted green bell peppers, courgette and (vegan) ricotta.
To highlight the wine’s complexity, I decided to try it with a vegan paella made with roasted peppers and crisp samphire. (See the recipe at the end of this post and watch me make it in the video!)
Unterebner 2021
A Pinot Grigio which totally impressed me with its finesse and incredible length (and to be frank, Pinot Grigio rarely impresses me). This beauty has a full-bodied silkiness with rich, toasty aromas and a creamy, buttery palate, yet it’s beautifully balanced with a crisp and clean finish. Great pairings would be a smoked fish terrine served with lemon mayo, a creamy prawn cocktail or tempura-fried vegetables.
Troy 2019
An aromatic Chardonnay, chock-full of character with ripe tropical fruits, smoky notes of toasted nuts and a touch of citrus. The palate is succulent with honeyed notes and a crisp saline finish. This wine is robust yet sophisticated, and though a treat to savor now, it has an aging potential of roughly 20 years. Sidenote: The word ‘Troy’ translates to ‘path’ or ‘trail’ in the ancient Alpine language and refers to the path Cantina Tramin has taken to craft the region’s quality Chardonnays. A gratin of coquilles would be a lovely pairing as would be poulet de Bresse à la crème or a soft, creamy goat’s cheese with a mild lactic tang, such as a Cabécou du Périgord.
Nussbaumer 2021
Gewürztraminer, the region’s historic grape variety, shows off its intensely floral bouquet here as it opens with aromas of rose petals and white flowers that give way to lychee, passionfruit, warm spices and a whisper of preserved lemon. The palate is fragrant and lush, yet retains a delicate and elegant acidity. Besides being a good choice for shellfish, this wine will be a great accompaniment to a wide variety of vegan/vegetarian cuisine such as a mild red curry, a rice pilaf with saffron, cinnamon and pistachios; or a root vegetable tagine with lemon and dried apricots. It would also be excellent with an unctuous triple crème cheese such as Brillat Savarin.
Epokale 2015
Showing off incredible complexity and just how exceptionally well Gewürztraminer can age (more than two decades in this case!), this wine was kept for seven years in the deep darkness of the Ridanna Monteneve silver mine located 2,000 meters above sea level. With an expressive bouquet of rosewater, lavender, exotic fruits and earthy spices, and a palate that is plush and concentrated but balanced with a lively minerality, this is certainly a showstopper of a wine. No wonder it has become somewhat of a collector’s item (which comes with a hefty price tag). What to pair with it if you're lucky enough to find a bottle? The first thing that came to my mind was pumpkin pie!
Many thanks to Wolfgang Klotz (Director of Marketing at Cantina Tramin), winemaker supervisor and technical manager, Willi Stürz, and Studio Cru for another memorable tasting.
And now on to the paella I made to pair with the Stoan 2021! Normally speaking, our Christmas Eve dinner is a smoked fish platter, but now that we are plant-based, I needed to figure out what to make that would still be festive enough. Trying the wine, I was immediately reminded of my paella, which I have now tweaked into an incredibly rich and delicious vegan version that pairs beautifully with this wine. A new tradition has been born!
Video: Hans Westbeek
Vegan paella
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
0,05g saffraan
400ml hot vegetable stock
2 tbsps good-quality olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large, ripe tomato, chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika powder
150g paella rice
150g marinated artichokes, from a jar
2 red peppers, from a jar
80g (frozen) green peas
40g samphire
Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges
To serve: Lemon-pepper mayonnaise (vegan mayonnaise with lemon juice & mixed pepper)
Instructions:
Stir the saffron into the hot vegetable stock.
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes without coloring.
Turn up the heat and stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika powder and rice. Flatten the mixture a little and leave to cook for 2 minutes, without stirring.
Pour in the stock with the saffron, and arrange the artichokes and red peppers over the dish. Reduce the heat, cover and gently cook for 30 minutes, without stirring.
Add the peas, without stirring, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Do the same with the samphire. Add, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave to rest (covered) for 10 minutes.
Scatter with the parsley and serve with the lemon wedges and garlic mayonnaise.
Wine discoveries: Cantina Tramin