Manincor Wine Estate, Alto Adige, Italy

Our recent visit to Manincor was impressive, to say the least. (for more information, go to http://www.manincor.com/default_en.asp). The wines are clean and precise with a beautiful elegance and complexity, just like Michael, the owner and winemaker who spent 2.5 hours with us explaining his approach and philosophy. He strives to be in harmony with life, and does everything biodynamically and sustainably.

All the grapes are harvested by hand and the vineyards are managed with nature in mind. For instance, insects are encouraged to live in harmony in the vineyards. This is depicted by symbolic ants on one of the walls at the winery (see picture).

Their quest towards harmony has many aspects. For example, a tall cement/gravel wall (Michael could have sold for “good money”) next to his underground winery provides a thermal mass to help keep the rooms at the right temperature without using electricity. During dry weather, water is trickled down along the wall to increase humidity, again without using electricity. This is just one of the many ways Manincor is organized to make the most natural and efficient use of the environment.

Manincor also makes some of barrels for winemaking. They harvest oak from a forest they own, and make oak barrels. The picture shows both a trunk of oak as well as oak slats that are drying for later use to make barrels.

Manincor also purchased new unlined cement tanks to have a means of supplying oxygen to wines in a way similar to oak but without the wood. Although Michael uses oak in some of the wines, the cement tanks provide another tool to make wines precisely the way he wants. He can let wine evolve naturally, without the influences of wood on the taste.

Art is a part of their culture, and they support a local artist who uses recycled materials (see picture, with vines and the background)…reminding us of our local friend and artist Madi Lord.

At the end of our visit Michael poured us 14 Manincor wines, a real treat. Unlike most tastings, we liked all of the wines (brief notes here).

1. Moscato Giallo (yellow) – floral & lovely (already at our store, Pairings Wine and Food)
2. Riserve della Contessa –Pinot Binaco, Chardonay, Sauvignon Blanc – bright and delicious, already at Pairings
3. Eichhorn Pinot Bianco – sunny green apple notes, with intense minerality and persistence
4. Tannenberg Sauvignon Blanc – delicious, intense minerality, kiwi and kumquats
5. Sophie Chardonnay with a hint of Viognier, SB, and Semillon (as seasonings), lovely nose with complexity; will age well; nice persistence; named after Michael’s wife.
6. La Rose de Manincor – 6 red varietals – lovely in the mouth – delicious;
7. Kalterersee Keil – strawberry, red cherry, almond notes, elegant – nice persistence
8. Reserva del Conte Lagrein-Merlot-Cabernet– beautiful on the nose, fresh luscious red fruit; (at Pairings)
9. Lagrein –powerful red and black fruit nose; full, black pepper, nice tannins
10. Cassiano a blend of 5 reds; fragrant red fruit on the palate; hints of pepper; black fruit and minerality –elegant and layered – can age 6-10 years;
11. Mason Pinot Nero  – pretty on the nose and in the mouth
12. Mason di Mason 2009 Gran Cru (1 hectare) – only in some years – longer – pretty and full on the nose – fresh and long.
13. Canstel Campa Merlot (hint of Petit Verdot and Cab Franc) –“dense”; beautiful full bodied black fruit on the nose; delicious, balanced, complex and long;
14. Le Petit Manincor- Petit Manseng–late harvest, apricot notes – balanced sugar & acidity

Michael also made stellar restaurant recommendations. One was for lunch at Gretl Am See near the winery, which overlooks the same lake we saw from Manincor. The other was “Zur Rose”, where we had a nice dinner the next night.