One of the oldest European varieties, Traminer came to Austria in the Middle Ages from what is now northern Italy. Its skin varies in color from pale yellow to red, and can be found in small, specialized vineyard sites throughout the country. Notoriously demanding in the vineyard, Traminer yields low-acid wines that are intensely aromatic and extract-rich.
Hajszan Neumann’s biodynamic “Obere Schos” vineyard, on Vienna’s Nussberg, is an ideal site for the demanding grape, with limestone, clay, and chalk contributing nice structure. Meanwhile, the aromatics and fruits of Traminer’s strong flavor profile are accentuated by skin-on fermentation, which also results in the wine’s lovely orange color in the glass.