Drink This: Fox Run Vineyards 2022 Simmons Vineyard Traminette
Traminette is far from my favorite white hybrid, but this single-vineyard example is a beautiful example
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As much as I enjoy gewürztraminer, I rarely get excited about tasting traminette — a French-American hybrid that counts gewürzt as a parent. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of traminette lacking the complexity that gewürztraminer can have. The biggest issue, however, is that many of the traminettes I taste are out of balance — typically too sweet for the level of acidity.
Fox Run Vineyards 2022 Simmons Vineyard Traminette ($15*) has some residual sugar, but it is very well balanced by crackling acidity. It’s one of the best-balanced examples I’ve tasted.
The nose is big and effusive — especially as it warms a bit out of the refrigerator — with layers of flowers, honey, baking spice, pear, and apricot.
The medium-bodied palate is a bit more tropical, with some pineapple and mango joining the fray, and pushing the floral qualities to the edges. The acid-sugar balance is great here. Though not rich or concentrated, it’s not dilute either. The wine shows good focus on the mid-palate before the sweetness peeks out just a bit at the end of a medium-length finish.
At $15, it’s also a good value in food-friendly aromatic white wine.
Region: Finger Lakes AVA (New York)
ABV: 12.5%
RS: 2.3%
TA: 8 g/L
pH: 2.97
Rating: 88 pts
Price: $15* (Pre-Release)
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*sample provided by winery