Wine grape variety cultivated in Apulia

Traminer Aromatico rs.

A vine known nationally and internationally, not very present in Apulia, where it is however registered among the suitable varieties in the whole region.

Origin and Historical Outline

The Traminer Aromatico rs. vine may be the result of the domestication of Central and North-Eastern European vines. The name Traminer might also be derived from Tramin, the town today called Termeno in the province of Bolzano.
There are two typologies of this vine: the aromatic Traminer aromatico or Gewürztraminer, characterized by a smaller production and a more pronounced aromatic taste of the grape, also introduced in Apulia, and the Traminer rosso, red, more productive but almost neutral at taste.

Synonyms

Gewürztraminer, Roter Traminer, Savagnin, Termeno aromatico, Traminer rosa.

Shoot tip: expanded, downy, green-whitish, with carmine edges.

Leaf: small, pentagonal, roundish, trilobate-pentalobate. Closed V-shaped petiole sinus; U-shaped upper lateral sinuses; barely marked V-shaped lower lateral sinuses.

Bunch: small or very small, dense, short, truncated cone-shaped, sometimes winged.

Berry: medium, spherical or slightly oblong. Pruinose, fairly thick, compact, amber-pink skin; pulpy flesh with a special aromatic taste reminiscent of roses.

Phenology

Time of bud burst: early-intermediate

Flowering time: early-intermediate

Veraison: intermediate-early

Ripening: early-intermediate

Isoenzymes
GPI: 9
PGM: 17

Agronomic and Cultural Characteristics

Vigour: medium

Average bunch weight: 110 g (min 60 g – max 170 g)

Average berry weight: 2.2 g (min 1.5 g – max 2.7 g)

Number of seeds per berry: 1 3

Average rachis weight: 8 g

Fertility of buds: generally 2

Potential fertility: 1.7

Actual fertility: 1.4

Environmental and Cultural Requirements

Low yield, although quite consistent. Suited to being grown on rocky or very loose, barely calcareous soils. Prefers medium-high training and therefore mediumlong pruning. In a proper environment, it is suited for the production of wines obtained from overripe grapes with late harvesting.

Good resistance to cryptogamic diseases and moths, but susceptible to ferric chlorosis. Good tolerance to winter frost.

Very susceptible to the grape vine fanleaf virus.

Chemical Features of the Wine

Alcoholic content: 11 – 14.5 % by vol.

pH: 3.4 – 3.8

Total acidity: 4 – 6 g/l

Oenological Use and Sensorial Properties of the Wine

Traminer Aromatico rs. is exclusively used for vinification, either as a single variety or in blends with other varieties. In Apulia, it requires careful examination of the compositional development of its grapes, in particular the acid-sugar balance, as it has a good composition for transformation into wine only for a few days. In the following days, therefore, the content of organic acids falls rapidly and the composition is unbalanced.

The wine is straw-yellow in colour, velvety and soft, warm and pleasantly bitterish, low in acidity, high in alcohol and intensely aromatic. This last characteristic makes it special and interesting and derives from the special aromatic flavour of its grapes.

Economic Significance and Geographic Distribution

Traminer Aromatico rs. is widespread in Trentino Alto Adige, and in Friuli Venezia Giulia.The vine is not very present in Apulia, where it is however registered among the varieties suitable for cultivation in all the production areas of the region.

Author and Source

Antonacci Donato
antonacci.dona@gmail.com

The data sheet of the Traminer Aromatico rs., grape variety, revised and updated, is extracted from: Antonacci Donato (2006). Viti di Puglia, Adda publisher. Its use is granted by the author citing the source.