2003 Pojer e Sandri Traminer Aromatico

http://www.pojeresandri.it/english/html/Wines.asp?IndiceVino=6

The last time I had this wine was a few years ago at a restaurant in Boston's North End. My wife and I had a romantic northern italian inspired dinner at Marcello's . I don't recall what my wife had but I had a braised rabbit over potatoes. Unfortunately the restaurant has since closed. The memories, however, will last a lifetime.

I had the opportunity to try this wine again at home last December. The experience, however, was remarkably different. First, it is impossible to replicate the experience of dining at Marcello's. Second, the two vintages were very different. I do not have information on 2001 for Trentino Alto-Adige DOC in northern Italy. The year 2003 was a record-breaking hot summer throughout Europe. The wine, as you will read further, definitely seemed to show an overwhelming oily ripeness.

The wine was golden in color, very heavy and oily on the glass. On the nose, intense aromas of sweet rose petals, poached pears, grapefruit and citrus oil. On the palate, it hits you with a shot of lytchee nut. Ginger, flowers and spices linger in the long finish. Relatively low in acid and high in alcohol, although the latter is masked by the intensity and perfume character of the fruit.

The 2001 was a much different wine, lighter in body, intensely perfumed nose, with fizzy, crisp acidity and a nice dose of fruit, flowers and spice. It was a very food friendly wine.