2020 Manni Nossing Kerner Kerner

2020 Manni Nossing Kerner

94 VM

Featured Review

The 2020 Kerner is understated and remarkably pretty with dusty dried flowers, flint and stone that reveal crushed apricot. There’s a purity within that makes the first impression, silky yet focused. A salty flourish up front paves the way for the ripe stone fruits and inner florals that form toward the close. The finish is long and lightly structured, leaving a staining of tart citrus and minerals that linger incredibly long. Wow, the 2020 Kerner is full of tension but also remarkably balanced. This is just a baby today. Vinous Media

Vinous (Galloni) | 94 VM

Type of Wine	Italy White
Varietal	Kerner
Country	Italy : Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France. Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate. The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned. The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market. With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.
Region	Alto Adige
Appellation	Alto Adige

Producer	Manni Nossing : Amid the towering peaks of the Dolomites in Alto Adige (or Sudtirol to the German-speaking two-thirds of its inhabitants) resides a land of acculturation. The small DOC (Designation of Controlled Origin) does not seem Italian; in fact it is more likely to witness German culinary, street signs and… well… wine. The breathtaking landscape is blanketed with German grape varietals, which local vintners cultivate with pride, embracing their ancestry as well as the proximity of Austria (20 miles north). One such producer, Manni Nossing, has found an incredibly perfect niche for himself in the remarkable terroir that has become a truly hospitable environment for the varietals planted here. Much like his wines reflect the terroir, Manni Nossing reflects the rebellious assimilation of cultivation in the region. Descended from a family of farmers, Manni has no formal training in viticulture or enology but seeks to learn from each vintage in order to produce wines that are capable of giving pleasure while also reflecting the terroir from which they originate. In 2000, he made the decision to start bottling his own wine instead of selling in bulk to a nearby cooperative. Since then, he has increased his holdings to 6 hectares, all hillside vineyards at altitudes of 650 to 800 meters, planted to Kerner, Gruner Veltliner, Muller Thurgau, Riesling, Sylvaner, and Gewurztraminer. Kerner, a cross between Riesling and Schiava (a local red grape), represents half of his production and perfectly exemplifies the house style of precision, freshness, class, and minerality. While the climate in Alto Adige is certainly a colder one with snowy winters, Manni finds that due to his vines’ southern exposure and the region’s hot summers, the sun is enemy number one. “I want my wines to be drinkable,” he explains. With the belief that good acidity is the key to refreshing, balanced wines, he has recently stopped green harvesting and de-leafing his vines. “My grapes are happy in the shade,” he elaborated. “They are unhappy sitting in the sun all day”. Manni’s desire to respect the land and emphasize terroir also applies to his choices in the cellar. All wines are vinified in stainless steel tanks to preserve the grapes’ delicate aromas, though 50% of the Veltliner sees a passage in neutral acacia barrels. After eight months on the lees during which the wines pick up additional richness and texture, they are ready to be bottled. The result is a range of wines that are a joy to drink while also exhibiting exceptional finesse and complexity, perfectly showcasing Manni’s passion for his land and the region’s pristine Alpine beauty. The Nossing vineyards are located in Valle di Isarco (Eisacktal or Eisacktaler in German and most likely the name gracing the label). The valley is a small tract of the Alto Adige with mesmerizing scenery; beautifully mountainous with green high-pastures, craggy clifftops and small patches of vines, neatly ordered and hugging the slopes in small patches, dotted throughout the valley. The terroir, comprised of sandy and mineral soils, and the area’s many microclimates provide a good basis for creating individual, fine, fresh wines. Manni Nossing single-varietal bottlings express the possibilities of this unique union of varietal and terroir. He currently produces Sylvaner, Riesling, Veltliner, Muller Thurgau and an excellent Kerner. Idealistic and determined in nature, Manni has found ways to develop wines with strong character, without traditional constraints. His meticulous efforts in the vineyard (where he feels most at home, close to nature) and fearless winemaking techniques in the cellar have proven successful. In the past few decades, Manni Nossing has become one of the greatest white wine producers in Alto Adige, an icon in Valle di Isarco and producer of an internationally recognized and desired brand.