Mason di Mason DOC 2018

Dense ruby red with a pale, slightly rust-tinged rim. The nose is dark and earthy: damp forest floor, wet limestone and moss, joined by ethereal pine needles and tree bark, red pepper, juniper and cinnamon. Elderberry, wild cherry, cranberry and strawberry are clearly discernible without ever pushing to the fore. Lovage, garden herbs and sage add spice, while cigar box and a hint of smoke linger in the background.

The Mason site, also known as Mazzon, is a four-hectare plateau at 400 to 450 metres above sea level with a southern exposure. Cool winds provide constant ventilation and cooling. The estate is based in Kaltern (Caldaro), taken over by Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg in 1991, and has been farmed biodynamically since 2005.

One hundred percent Pinot Noir, known as Blauburgunder in the Alpine region. The plots are harvested and vinified separately. Fermentation on the skins takes place in wooden vats with natural yeasts, maceration lasts three weeks, and punch-downs are carried out twice daily. This is followed by twelve months in barrique, with new oak accounting for around 50 percent. After this year of ageing comes racking off the lees and blending the best barrels.

The entry is like biting into a handful of sour cherries, juicy and highly intense. The crisp acidity cuts sharply across the fruit, the astringency is high and calls for generous sips. Against the dark nose stand finesse and racy drive.

Lamb tongue with a warm lentil and caper vinaigrette, roast saddle of venison with cranberry jus and bread dumplings, or grilled sea bream with spiced fennel and warm beetroot salad.

Only the best barrels from the selection of the finest plots go into the bottle. Manincor's red wines ferment one hundred percent spontaneously, and the cellar, built into the hillside, operates without pumps, relying entirely on gravity.