Le Petit 2021 375ml

Le Petit puts lightness before power. Lusciously sweet, yet with only 8.5% ABV, it stays nimble because the Petit Manseng's acidity works against the residual sugar. A wine for the end of an evening, in small glasses and lightly chilled.

Kaltern in South Tyrol. Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg took over Manincor from his uncle in 1991 and has farmed the 50 hectares biodynamically since 2005. The historic estate building, with its distinctive tower, has stood beside the road for over 400 years; the modern cellar was built into the hillside and relies on gravity rather than pumps, with the cool rock keeping temperatures constant.

Petit Manseng, single-varietal. Estate director Helmuth Zozin, previously cellar master for twenty years at Kellerei Kaltern, thinks in terms of continuity from pruning to bottling: two-thirds of the estate's white wines ferment spontaneously with natural yeasts, keeping intervention to a minimum.

Brilliant golden yellow with amber highlights. On the nose, pineapple and mango, alongside dried apricot, honey and a bright citrus note. On the palate, sweet and concentrated, candied fruit and honey, carried by an acidity that brings the finish back to the fruit.

Blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola, whose salt plays against the sweetness, foie gras, apple strudel or desserts with pineapple and mango. Also enjoyable on its own, lightly chilled.

Petit Manseng is a rarity in South Tyrol. The estate spans 463 hectares of orchards, vines, forest and meadows as a single unit; chickens, sheep and bees are part of it, and herbal teas replace synthetic sprays. The 375ml bottle is enough for two glasses with dessert.