Manni Nössing’s Mountain Gems
by Anthony Lynch
Kerner, Grüner Veltliner, Müller Thurgau, Riesling, and Sylvaner—exquisite expressions of Italy’s most beautiful Alpine terroir.
Kerner, Grüner Veltliner, Müller Thurgau, Riesling, and Sylvaner—exquisite expressions of Italy’s most beautiful Alpine terroir.
Manni Nössing’s Mountain Gems
by Anthony Lynch
On my first visit to Manni Nössing’s small winery in the Dolomites, a colleague and I were led terribly astray by our rental car’s GPS. Rather than taking the main road that channels north through the narrow Valle Isarco, we were directed into an enchanted forest, circumnavigating a colossal mountain before ending up in a remote vineyard on a tiny dirt road with a frustrating lack of signage. Finally—after several phone exchanges with Manni in which I desperately wielded my broken Italian, and he his broken English—we arrived at our destination on the aptly named Weinbergstraße, a mere hour and a half late to our appointment.
Upon walking in, we noticed a row of empty bottles—perhaps Manni’s “wall of fame” —including the likes of Clape Cornas and Château Thivin. A very promising start, soon to be confirmed when we tasted through Manni’s production. It immediately became clear: he strives for plenty of acidity in his wines. On the palate, this translates to Alpine freshness, high-definition delineation of flavor, and a mouthwateringly crisp finish. With our spirits high and palates cleansed, we left the winery awed by his Kerner: a wine of pinpoint focus, featuring aromas of tropical fruit that jump out of the glass. Equally stunning is the Veltliner. Lean and precise yet also elegantly rounded, it dazzles at table, thanks to its balance and versatility.
Alongside his rows of Kerner and Grüner Veltliner, Manni also grows Müller Thurgau, Riesling, and Sylvaner, grapes perfectly adapted to the high elevation, cold nights, and prime sunlight the steep and terraced vines receive during the long summer days. His bottlings are exquisite expressions of Italy’s northernmost wine region, capturing the precision and purity conferred by this Alpine terroir. From the elegant and fleshy Kerner to the zippy wildflower-scented Müller and unique expressions of Riesling, Grüner, and Sylvaner, these mountain gems are a must-try for any white wine lover.
Wines In The Collection
Manni Nössing Italy | Alto Adige
Crisp and lean with mouthwatering minerality, Nössing’s Riesling is one of great finesse and precision.
Manni Nössing Italy | Alto Adige
May Adventures ~ A vibrant, crisp, taut, white grown at over 600 meters in granite soil in the very northern part of Italy.
Manni Nössing Italy | Alto Adige
An absolute live wire of a white grown at high elevation in the shadow of jagged Dolomite peaks.
Manni Nössing Italy | Alto Adige
This Sylvaner, from high in the Dolomites, is a finely channeled mountain breeze, an exercise in textural delicacy that will leave your palate tingling with the sensation of crispy minerals.
Italy | Alto Adige
Crisp and lean with mouthwatering minerality, Nössing’s Riesling is one of great finesse and precision.
Italy | Alto Adige
May Adventures ~ A vibrant, crisp, taut, white grown at over 600 meters in granite soil in the very northern part of Italy.
Italy | Alto Adige
An absolute live wire of a white grown at high elevation in the shadow of jagged Dolomite peaks.
Italy | Alto Adige
This Sylvaner, from high in the Dolomites, is a finely channeled mountain breeze, an exercise in textural delicacy that will leave your palate tingling with the sensation of crispy minerals.
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