Manincor “Il Conte” 2023

Manincor "Il Conte" 2023 is a bold South Tyrolean red blend, a cuvée of Lagrein, Merlot, and Cabernet grown on some of the estate's warmest vineyard sites, delivering a wine of surprising depth for a cool alpine region. The wine comes from Manincor, an estate near Kaltern whose winemaking history dates back to 1662, with its modern era shaped since 1991 by Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg and his family. Farmed entirely biodynamically and certified organic, Manincor has become one of South Tyrol's defining estates, known for treating the vineyard as a self-sustaining whole rather than a series of inputs to manage. Il Conte draws its fruit from the Manincor and Panholzerhof vineyards, southeast-facing sites at around 250 meters with views over Lake Caldaro, planted on rich sandy loam threaded with limestone gravel and glacial rock. Each variety, Merlot first, then Lagrein, then Cabernet, is harvested and vinified separately, with gentle maceration and a single daily punch-down aimed at fine, silky tannins, before the wine spends about a year aging in wooden casks of various sizes. In the glass, the 2023 shows a bright, dense ruby. The nose is full and dark-fruited, with blackberry, mulberry, ripe plum, and black cherry framed by sandalwood, light tobacco, black pepper, and a touch of licorice and smoke. On the palate it's dense yet graceful, opening with dark chocolate and espresso crema before fine-knit, velvety tannins take hold, all balanced by ripe acidity that carries through to a long, spicy, fruit-laced finish. It's a red that bridges structure and elegance in equal measure: powerful enough for game and braised meats, yet refined enough to earn comparisons to Burgundy.