The UnCorker

Weird Wine of the Week-2006 Re Manfredi Basilicata Bianco

May 5, 2009 | In WINE REVIEWS | No Comments

Basilicata is an isolated and obscure region, second to only the Molise as the smallest in wine production in Italy. Known primarily, and only really recently for Aglianico del Vulture (the region’s only DOC wine), Basilicata doesn’t seem a likely place for a cutting edge weird wine- its like stumbling on haute cuisine in your grandmother’s kitchen- at first, it seems so unlikely, its suspicious- but when you try it, it makes delicious, perfect sense.

So, some mad genius at Re Manfredi looked around Mount Vulture and saw something maybe nobody else had even considered; that the potential for northern white grapes was huge, and that taking a chance might pay off. And why not? German grapes have thrived in the Alto Adige for centuries; the Adige valley is searingly hot during the day, but the nights, nice and cool. As you have read in these pages, the Aglianico in Basilicata is one of the latest harvested grapes in all of Italy- the slopes of Mt. Vulture have vineyards planted up to 800 meters, giving a huge temperature differential between day and night. Traditionally, what white grapes there are in Basilicata are the ubiquitous malvasia and moscato, dry and sweet, still and sparkling, and with the rare exception, uninspiring, and not much exported.

Making this Basilicta Bianco both weird and exceptional- these northern varieties, muller thurgau and traminer( a less aromatic varient of gewuztraminer) thrive in the volcanic soils of Vulture- planted at 400 meters, they get loads of sun and heat, and enough cool night air to allow them to ripen fully without becoming flabby and ridiculous- certainly a risk with these grapes at this latitude.

The 2006 Basilicata from Re Manfredi jumps right out of the glass with tropical fruit; pineapple, grapefuit, a tinge of white peach, surely the Muller making its presence known. A rich straw gold, this wine does not lack for body- its honeyed richness is balanced by a cleansing acidity and a bit of smoky minerality you’d expect from a wine grown on Mt. Vulture. Delicious stuff to pair with seafood, soft cheese or as an apertif.

Such an unexpected treat- sheer weird genius from Re Manfredi.