Manzoni Bianco is the most successful of Italy’s new grape varieties and one of the most appealing in terms of quality worldwide. Unlike most grape hybrids, which are the result of natural crossbreeding, it was created through deliberate experimentation in the laboratory. Its creator, Luigi Manzoni, is said to have had a special knack for developing grape varieties with fine wine potential. Today, the results of his work are most clearly seen in the vinifications of Incrocio Manzoni 6.0.13, the aforementioned Manzoni Bianco, and Incrocio Manzoni 2.15, known as Manzoni Rosso. Although Manzoni developed many more varieties, these were uprooted by his successors after his retirement—an unfortunate fate, even among scientists.
For a long time, Manzoni Bianco was thought to be a cross between Riesling and Pinot Bianco (and this is still the information on Elisabetta Foradori’s website), but recent analyses have shown that Pinot Bianco is actually Chardonnay. In any case, Elisabetta Foradori’s Manzoni Bianco thrives on the alternating chalky white and clay-red soils of Fontanasanta, a hilly site located east of Trento. The wine it produces has long been a benchmark for northern Italy’s white wines. The grapes are spontaneously fermented on the skins in concrete tanks and then aged for just under a year in acacia wood. Like all Foradori wines, a few years of bottle aging only improve it.
Style
This wine reveals its strengths slowly, but once it does, they are undeniable. An initial herbal note gives way after a while, integrating into yellow fruit and citrus aromas. The texture is slender, elegant, and powerful, with a straight, compact structure. It has plenty of energy and dynamism, with a subtle, stony undertone. Typically, it finds its balance over the first three years and continues to gain in substance.
Data Sheet
Grape Variety: 100% Manzoni Bianco
Vineyard: Poor clay-limestone soils
Harvest: Hand-picked
Fermentation: Spontaneous | Wild yeasts
Aging: 7-day maceration, 12 months in stainless steel
Filtration: No
SO₂: < 30 mg/l
Alcohol Content: 12.5% vol
Closure: Natural cork
Serving Temperature: 10-12°C
Optimal Drinking Window: From now until 2030
Bottle Format: 0.75 l
Membership: La Renaissance des Appellations
Maxime: All producers listed by Vinonudo work in their vineyards using compost, organic fertilizers, and natural preparations, refraining from herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.
