Cassiano IGT 2023

A dense red with an open-hearted presence. The core is formed by plum, Amarena cherry, black mulberry, cassis and blueberry, overlaid by a dark frame of bitter chocolate, light tobacco, Espelette pepper and dried herbs. In the glass it shows ruby red with a black core and purple reflections.

The grapes grow in the southeast-facing, lake-view vineyards at 250 to 280 metres above sea level. The soils are strong sandy loams, interspersed with limestone gravel and glacial deposits. Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg took over Manincor in 1991 as a mixed estate and converted to biodynamic farming in 2005; the 50 hectares in Kaltern are cultivated according to Respekt-BIODYN, with herbal teas replacing synthetic sprays.

The 2023 combines 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 9% Syrah, 8% Tempranillo, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. After a wet spring, a hot, dry summer and a golden autumn, the grapes reached good physiological and analytical ripeness, with a yield of 48 hectolitres per hectare. Each lot was pressed separately and fermented spontaneously with the grapes' own yeasts in wooden vats, with maceration lasting 10 to 20 days depending on the variety. This was followed by 18 months in barrique, half of them new barrels; the blend was only assembled shortly before bottling.

Extract-rich and dense, the dark fruit sets the direction, framed by the austere phenolics of a fine-grained, tightly woven tannin that, despite its youthful impetuosity, feels gentle and polished. Liquorice, bitter chocolate and espresso crema provide the aromatic counterpoint and carry through to the fruit-driven, slightly savory finish. 14.0% vol., dry.

The cellar, built into the slope, works by gravity rather than pumps, with the cool rock keeping temperatures constant. The red wines ferment one hundred percent spontaneously. Estate director Helmuth Zozin has shaped the work from pruning to bottling since 2008.