2005 TBA No. 3 Traminer

2005 Trockenbeerenauslese No.3 Traminer

The 2005 #3 Traminer Trockenbeerenauslese Nouvelle Vague is strongly oriented along the animal – more precisely, marine-porcine – axis of this notorious family of grapes. Ham hock, candied rose petal and violets, celery seed, and ocean breeze rise from the glass. This coats the mouth with an oily residue of pork fat, along with rose oil, lychee, pineapple, and white pepper. There is a cut and brightness to the finish that belie the grape variety, the new wood, and this wine’s mere 7 grams of acidity. Cinnamon, white pepper, and bacon hog the finish from the fruits and flowers. This should be worth following for at least 15-20 years.

There’s greater richness, density and also more of a sensation of the residual-sugar influenced notes; this is more buttery too – but with that lovely bite and bitterness of burnt sugar – like apples scorched in burning butter. Crème brulée. Butterscotch. Werther’s Originals. Candyfloss. Freshly made strawberry jam. Caramele au beurre salé. Scorched pineapple. A hint of fresh ginger. Baked Bramley apple. Toffee apple. Cinnamon. Mace. A little cardamon. Fresh on the attack, quite lean, linear and slender in the mid-palate and very fine and focussed on the finish – though undoubtedly shorter than No. 1. Apricot and salt on the finish. Lovely, if a little more ephemeral. 93+/100 Colin Hay, The Drinks Business