Traminec

This locally bred variant of the German Gewuerztraminer
("spicy Traminer") is a truly memorable wine; in its elegance
and distinguished character, Traminec is comparable to Renski
Rizling, although it is quite different in taste and bouquet.
The yield is slight and the vine is very sensitive to wind in
its flowering season; it demands deep, warm, and nutritious
soils. Traminec is quite unreliable, and it is said that two
out of every three vintages are more or less failures.

There are actually two types of Traminec vine: the "red"
and the "fragrant" Traminec; however, the "red" Traminec is
almost forgotten and if it appears by chance in Traminec
vineyards, it is not processed separately. The origin of this
vine is unclear, but its known history is very long:
Traminer was grown in Germany 1500 years ago although it was
not processed as a varietal wine. Some ampelographers believe
that Traminec may have been the noble and aromatic wine
described by Pliny, and there are also some indications that
the vine may have originated in Egypt. In this respect,
Traminec remains a mystery.

The Traminec bouquet is simply incomparable, with an
aroma reminiscent of roses, linden blossoms, muscat, and a
plethora of other, more subdued fragrances. The rare good
vintages produce a very aromatic wine, smooth with high
alcohol content and rather slight acids; Traminec is usually
semi-dry to semi-sweet, full-bodied, and velvety. It is a
true connoisseur's wine, sometimes also described as a
"ladies' wine" on the precarious assumption that its aromatic
flavour is especially preferred by the female sex. Aging
is a risky business with Traminec and definitely not to be
undertaken by an amateur - - only some very rare late
harvests improve with age, but only under the professional
care of a master cellarer.

Traminec was once exclusive to the Podravje region,
but in recent decades it has been successfully transplanted
to Smarje-Virstajn in Posavje which is similar in soil
composition although somewhat colder. In Podravje, the
competition to produce the best Traminec is fierce among
the Maribor, Srednje Slovenske Gorice, Radgona-Kapela,
and Ljutomer-Ormoz areas - with Maribor and Radgona-Kapela
most frequently the winners. The Haloze area also produces
good Traminec in warm years.

Sweet or semi-sweet Traminec should be served at 8