- Clare Valley, SA - $17-$25
- Screwcap
- 13.0%alc
The classic Alsatian blend, or 'Three' as it's been dubbed by wineries such as Knappstein and Ashton Hills, is a white wine style known well for its ability to be paired with the perennially tricky to match, spicy asian food.
There's elements of all three varieties in Knappstein's 2010 blend, as its oily pear-skin aromas make the broadest statement, but underneath that traminer/gris attribute lies notes of lime juice and lychee which are given a pleasingly floral/musky lift. The viscosity of its dominant partner (gewürztraminer, 72%) drives the wine into the palate, releasing white pear-skin , lemon zest and grape seed flavours, before a cleaner indication of lychee-like character combines with a hint of spice and a refreshing acidity to finish. A genuine touch of Clare's classic chalky acids accentuate its structural elements, which might just be an 18% riesling component punching above its weight, but the optimist inside me believes it's an indication of true regional/seasonal influence prevalent across all three varieties.
ü For a Clare-traminer-based wine, I don't think you could work this too much better. It's not terribly punchy or intense, but its beautifully measured combination of varietals has produced a wine that's clean, shapely and very easy to drink. Drink to 2014.
90 points
Very keen to try this Chris.
ReplyDeleteThree. It's a magic number...
I'm a big fan of the number as well Tim :)
ReplyDeleteThe Knappstein doesn't possess the most intensely varietal traminer fruit around (to be expected for Clare really) but it is a bloody sound little white all the same.
Cheers,
Chris P