2005 Re Manfredi Bianco Basilicata IGT Italy. 13% alcohol. 50% Muller Thurgau, 50% Traminer. Beekmans, Glen Rock, $25.99. Imported by Frederick Wildman, New York, NY.
Very pale yellow color, clear hue, enhanced greatly by a almost entirely clear bottle, lovely aromas of tropical fruits with just a slight hint of spice and more pronounced floral notes, an impression of sweetness on the nose, but although there is good fruit on the palate, no sweetness at all, very crisp acidity, long complex fruit finish. A very pretty wine, just a great match with summer vegetables and salad, and I suspect a great match with sushi. 4*.
Notes:
Beekman: A unique and fascinating Italian white wine, this aromatic, slightly spritzy (when first opened), spicy wine is a blend of Müller-Thurgau and Traminer grapes. M-T was bred by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882. There is still some dispute as to whether he crossed Riesling with Sylvaner or a grape called Madeleine Royale, but he produced a grape that was hardy, early ripening, and productive, but easier to grow and less soil and climate specific than Riesling. It is popular in the cool areas of Germany, northern Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, and even England!
Traminer is a less perfumed version of Gewürztraminer and in fact is thought to be one of the parents of that spicy grape. Its origin is the city of Tramin near Trentino in the Alto Adige region of northeastern Italy. This captivating wine shows some of the lychee, spices, and tropical fruits of Traminer with the aromatic, floral component of M-T. It promises “sweet,” but delivers bone dry. Soft, rounded, spicy, and absolutely delicious, this unusual wine begs for sushi and other Asian food.
Wildman: Basilicata is a region where there is relatively little wine, but where the right climate manages to combine with the perfect soil, the wine it produces is of a truly outstanding quality. This magical and rare union occurs on the Re Manfredi / Terre degli Svevi estate, which surrounds an avant-garde cellar on the slopes of Monte Vulture, the ancient extinct volcano which rises in the Lucanian Apennines. In a very beautiful, wild and rugged region, the vineyards spread over the lowest parts of the volcano. It is here that the Aglianico vine is cultivated; the name is a corruption of "Ellenico", a vine imported during the Greek domination. The Aglianico del Vulture is a dark, very well-structured red wine with good ageing potential. Besides this great wine there are also wines of smaller production such as Muller Thurgau and Traminer, which have found a natural habitat on the volcanic soil.