Gsellmann - Traminer 2013

A typically elegant orange wine from this skilled Burgenland winemaker

There's a bit of a myth that aromatic white varieties don't work well with extended skin contact. It is true that non-aromatic varieties like Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio and Malvasia Istriana take to maceration like a duck to water, but the technique can work with our more fragrant friends as well.

If you've tried the wonderful skin macerated wines made by the “Schmecke das Leben” group of winemakers (Muster, Tscheppe, Strohmeier, Tauss etc) in Southern Styria, you'll recognise the distinctive perfume of Gelber Muskateller (Yellow Muscat) which enlivens so many of the blends. De Martino makes a 100% Muscat in this style, and Janko Štekar has a phenomenal “orange” Riesling in his armoury. But how about most-aromatic of all Gewurztraminer?

Andreas Gsellmann, also Austrian but from easterly Burgenland, makes a couple of superbly refined, elegant orange wines. His Traminer (Actually a blend of Roter Traminer and Gelber Traminer) is perhaps the most unusual. The distinctive rose petal aroma…