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WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectations

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WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectations

by Ryan M » Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:53 pm

I'm still reeling from this, so I'll just let my note do the talking.

Smokey Hill Vineyards & Winery, Traminette, Kansas NV
Light golden yellow. Outstanding nose, loads of ripe d’Anjou pear, melon, peach, and white raspberry, all with wonderful orange notes, white flowers, lots of mace and white pepper, honey, and loads of dense mineral; a Sauternes-like nose; so much richness and depth! Similar notes on the palate, leading off with ripe, sweet pear, honeydew, and fleshy nectarine, fresh-peeled orange, raspberry, astonishingly nice floral nectar and honey, and toward the finish a bit of fresh-grated ginger, white pepper, mace, turbinado sugar, and loads of stoney mineral. Semi-dry, very full bodied, with a rich, sweet, mineral-laden texture, and with prominent, exceptional, citrusy, steely acidity, and a long spice, honey, and mineral-laden finish; so much depth and density! Very much in Alsatian style; and tastes uncannily like it say some botrytis. I am shocked by this wine, only the best Alsatian Gewurztraminers I’ve had can compete with it. The greatest Traminette I’ve had, a candidate for the best Midwestern wine I’ve had, and certainly in the top tier of US whites I’ve had. 5 to 10 more years ahead, easily. I am rather stunned that Kansas can produce a wine like this. An extraordinarily impressive effort! 3.5 Stars [1/12/18]
Last edited by Ryan M on Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Tristan B » Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:11 pm

What is Traminette?
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Ryan M » Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:13 pm

tristan.belo wrote:What is Traminette?


It is a hybrid of Gewurztraminer and one of the Seyval hybrids.
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Tristan B » Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:14 pm

I have only ever had one gewurztraminer and I found it to be very acidic, slightly vinegary.
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Rahsaan » Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:29 pm

tristan.belo wrote:I have only ever had one gewurztraminer and I found it to be very acidic, slightly vinegary.


Sounds weird. Gewurz is a low-acid grape and the usual critique is that the wines don't have enough acid.

But of course specific renditions of a wine can go in any direction.
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Rahsaan » Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:31 pm

Ryan M wrote:I'm still reeling from this, so I'll just let my note do the talking.

Smokey Hill Vineyards & Winery, Traminette, Kansas NV
Light golden yellow. Outstanding nose, loads of ripe d’Anjou pear, melon, peach, and white raspberry, all with wonderful orange notes, white flowers, lots of mace and white pepper, honey, and loads of dense mineral; a Sauternes-like nose; so much richness and depth! Similar notes on the palate, leading off with ripe, sweet pear, honeydew, and fleshy nectarine, fresh-peeled orange, raspberry, astonishingly nice floral nectar and honey, and toward the finish a bit of fresh-grated ginger, white pepper, mace, turbinado sugar, and loads of stoney mineral. Semi-dry, very full bodied, with a rich, sweet, mineral-laden texture, and with prominent, exceptional, citrusy, steely acidity, and a long spice, honey, and mineral-laden finish; so much depth and density! Very much in Alsatian style; and tastes uncannily like it say some botrytis. I am completely floored by this wine, only the very best Alsatian Gewurztraminers I’ve had can compete with it. Not just greatest Traminette I’ve had, not only the best Midwestern white I’ve had, this is in the top 10% of US whites I’ve had, period. Another 10 - 15 years does not seem out of the question. I am almost in shock that Kansas can produce a wine like this. Astonishing! 4 Stars [1/12/18]


Interesting. Nice to read about your enthusiasm.

Out of curiosity, how many times have you had the wine? Not doubting your experience, but sometimes I find that 'oddball' wines like this can show really well under certain circumstances where it all comes together for one reason or another. But that doesn't necessarily happen all the time.
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Ryan M » Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:35 am

Rahsaan wrote:Interesting. Nice to read about your enthusiasm.

Out of curiosity, how many times have you had the wine? Not doubting your experience, but sometimes I find that 'oddball' wines like this can show really well under certain circumstances where it all comes together for one reason or another. But that doesn't necessarily happen all the time.


This is my first experience with it. And yes, it may very well be that this experience is the result of a particular time, place, and circumstance. But even if I'm being overenthusiastic, this is an extremely impressive effort for the midwest.
"The sun, with all those planets revolving about it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else to do"
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Jenise » Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:08 pm

tristan.belo wrote:I have only ever had one gewurztraminer and I found it to be very acidic, slightly vinegary.


What Rahsaan said. That was a very atypical gewurztraminer.
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Rahsaan » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:36 pm

Ryan M wrote:This is my first experience with it. And yes, it may very well be that this experience is the result of a particular time, place, and circumstance. But even if I'm being overenthusiastic, this is an extremely impressive effort for the midwest.


Sounds good. Will keep my eyes open if I ever run across the Kansas wine selection!

And I didn't mean to be too nitpicky, but comments like "...only the best Alsatian Gewurztraminers I’ve had can compete with it" are strong words in their own right, perhaps worthy of more extended tasting. But hey, nothing like self-confidence!
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Ryan M » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:57 pm

Rahsaan wrote:Sounds good. Will keep my eyes open if I ever run across the Kansas wine selection!

And I didn't mean to be too nitpicky, but comments like "...only the best Alsatian Gewurztraminers I’ve had can compete with it" are strong words in their own right, perhaps worthy of more extended tasting. But hey, nothing like self-confidence!


Yeah, I was definitely in throws of enthusiasm when I wrote that, I actually went back and moderated the language a bit. Worth noting that I've had as many disappointing Alsatian GTs as wonderful ones. But I do seriously mean that it could hold its own against the Alsatian GTs that I've experienced.
"The sun, with all those planets revolving about it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else to do"
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Well..

by TomHill » Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:53 am

I’ve had maybe 8-10 Traminettes, mostly from the Midwest. They have very powerful aromatics much like GWT. But sort of candied/in-your-face that, like some Muscat’s, can be too much of a good thing. And they’re often finished sweet and under-acid.
Ryan’s SmokeyHill sounds interesting, but I don’t see a trip out to Salina in the offing.
Tom
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Re: WTN: In which a Traminette from Kansas shatters expectat

by Brian K Miller » Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:18 pm

tristan.belo wrote:I have only ever had one gewurztraminer and I found it to be very acidic, slightly vinegary.


I am guessing this was a very damaged bottle. don't give up on the variety! 8)
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Re: Well..

by Brian K Miller » Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:20 pm

TomHill wrote:Ryan’s SmokeyHill sounds interesting, but I don’t see a trip out to Salina in the offing.
Tom


Come on, tom! In your pursuit of the obscure this is right up your alley! "This should be planted up and down the prairie" :lol:
...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach

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