Manila Weiss 2022

Wine Description for Manila White 2022 by Nittnaus Anita & Hans

Colour & Appearance

Golden-shimmering straw yellow with delicate orange reflections – a first hint at the unconventional soul of this wine.

Nose

The nose is wild and idiosyncratic, yet possessed of compelling inner logic. Kaffir lime leaves and bergamot dominate the first impression with aromatic intensity. Ripe pear, a touch of quince compote and the tart freshness of apple skins create depth. Nettle, marjoram and tarragon lend an ethereal, herbaceous spice. With a little warmth in the glass, mirabelle and peach emerge, before artichoke and fennel guide the bouquet into vegetable, inviting territory.

Palate

Slender, taut and of remarkable balance. The fruit remains at its core, yet is held in shape by clear structure. Manila 2022 achieves the feat of making its wild character everyday-friendly – accessible and uncomplicated, without ever seeming banal. The drinking flow is uninterrupted and seductive.

Finish

A dark, balsamic spice characterises the aftertaste emphatically, without dominating. Long-lasting, with a slightly tart, herbaceous finale.

Terroir & Origin

The vintage 2022 was marked by extreme drought: scant winter moisture, little rain until June, a hot July and August. Small berries, delayed ripeness – and consequently concentrated, precise wines from Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland.

Grape Variety & Vinification

An idiosyncratic cuvée approach: 55% Grüner Veltliner, 23% Welschriesling, 22% Weißburgunder. The Veltliner is foot-trodden and left on the skins for five days – an orange wine impulse. Welschriesling ferments destemmed in steel tank, Weißburgunder in a 1,500-litre wooden barrel. No fining, no filtration. The result: a natural, living wine at a slender 11.5% vol.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Ideal with cured whitefish with golden beetroot and herb emulsion, artichoke hearts with yoghurt-cumin dip or roasted fennel with orange fillets and Kalamata olives. A wine for tables where conventions receive no invitation.

Special Features

Manila White is a declaration of subversion – so it says on the label, and so it tastes. Martin Nittnaus sends native grape varieties on an adventure and brings them back transformed. A wine with conviction.