Rossese Bianco?

WINE TALK
1

Anybody ever had this rare wine from the Langhe??
Manzone apparently makes one.
Any thoughts on it??
Tom

2

I have (surprise, surprise…):

  • 2019 Giovanni Manzone Langhe Rossese Bianco Rosserto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (10.6.2022)
    This is actually not the "normal" Rossese Bianco (a rare Piedmontese variety in its own right), but supposedly a distinct Rossese variety known as Rossese Bianco di Monforte, of which Manzone is the only producer making varietal wine. The fruit is sourced from two vineyards (Castelletto and Gramolere) planted in 1982 and partially replanted in 2011. The grapes are cold-soaked with the skins briefly before fermented spontaneously. Aged in old tonneaux. 12,5% alcohol.

    Youthful, luminous and quite pale greenish color. Youthful, fruity and rather primary with rather sweet-toned aromas of white peach, some apple jam, a little bit of cantaloupe, light pear tones and a woolly hint of lanolin. The wine is ripe, juicy and somewhat round on the palate with a medium body and linear, slightly sweetly-fruited flavors of white peach, some greengage, light primary notes of pear drops and pear juice and a hint of grapey fruit. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance, but doesn't lend much freshness to the wine. The finish is juicy, round and quite primary with medium-long flavors of pear drops, some white peach, a little bit of greengage, light grapey tones and a hint of cantaloupe.

    I don't know whether the wine was just too young for its own good or if it is just made to be this boring. This is supposedly the only Rossese Bianco di Monforte wine in existence, but this turned out to be a very mundane and straightforward white wine with a rather soft and quite simple, fruit-driven overall character, with lots of primary flavors of pear drops and pear juice. To be honest, this tasted like any generic Italian white wine. I'm always interested to taste something new and outside-the-box, but this was quite disappointing by all accounts. (81 points)

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3

I think we tasted it when we visited, but no memory of it.

4

Thanks, Otto. Shoulda known you would be there first.
So you are saying there are two distinct Rossese Biancos?? The “normal” and a Rossese Bianco di Monforte??
I didn’t pick that up in my Google searches.
Interestingly, FPS has Rossese Bianco available for distribution. Where’s Bryan Harrington when we need him??
Tom

5

I used to import Anfosso from Liguria. They make a white from Rossese Bianco called Antea. Can’t remember if it is 100%. Might contain other varieties coming from a field blend. Small quantities from very old vines. More than150 years old, IIRC. I believe Kermit imports them now.
Dringenberg also makes a killer white blend that is mostly from Rossese Bianco. Pretty sure the great Jan D’Amore still imports these so you may be able to find them in a NY shop.

6

First Bottle sold these in the US in 2022; I remember having a very similar reaction to yours. “Oh, that’s all?”

I mean it was fine, I’d drink it with seafood on a Tuesday, but nothing to write home about either.

1 Like
7

No. I’m saying there are even more.

According to Vouillamoz, Robinson et al. there are:

  • Rossese Bianco in Liguria (a synonym for Ruzzese)
  • Rossese Bianco in Liguria (a synonym for Grillo)
  • Rossese Bianco di San Biagio in Liguria
  • Rossese Bianco in Piedmont
  • Rossese Bianco di Monforte in Piedmont

All distinct varieties not related to each other.

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8

The ones I have had from Liguria felt higher acid, less ripe round fruit than what you described from Piedmont. Fairly concentrated but not fat at all. Somewhat linear with a beaming long finish. Grown on super steep, terraced vineyards. Not sure I love them at their prices of around $50-60 and they were a bitch to sell since virtually no one was familiar with them but they are tasty and unique.

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9

Thanks, Otto. I should have checked in Vouillamoz rather than relied on Google & Fox News for the real story.
Wish those danged Italians could keep their grapes straight.
How the heck am I gonna try all those.
Tom

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10

Tom, you should know who to contact regarding obscure Italian grape varieties :smile:

Bryan Harrington brought cuttings from Italy awhile back and they’ve completed the FPS quarantine in Davis and are now certified virus-free and available through FPS. Don’t know whether anyone has planted or grafted any yet in California.

FPS - Rossese Bianco

11

Something wrong there. Rossese di Dolceacqua is a synonym for Tibouren, a red variety - not for the white Rossese Bianco.

I suppose this Rossese Bianco in question is the not-di-Monforte version of the two Piedmontese Rossese Biancos?

12

I’ve had four vintages of the Manzone Rossese, 2020-2018 and 1997. Got to taste 2019 and the 1997 side by side. The -97 was barely holding up, but not completely oxidized. Most of the fruit was gone, replaced by aromas of straw and some nuttiness.

2018 felt quite similar to 2019, but the 2020 was a lot lore crisp and acidic, at least in my books. It’s a fun wine for sure, but at the end a bit more of a novelty than a serious contender for the other obscure whites of Piedmont.

13

That’s sorta what I expected.
Tom

14

Cascina Amalia and Cascina Castella (both between Monforte and Roddino) both make a Rossese. Amalia’s is slightly higher level.

Although it does not catch me personally, i have taken people there to taste who have really enjoyed the wine.