French Petit Manseng, most of which comes from Jurancon, in mostly made into sweet wines. Producers use Gros Manseng as the main component of their dry blends, the remainder being Petit Manseng and some other local varieties. The only 100% dry Petit Mansengs I’ve had have been old vintages of Clos Joliette. Occasionally the 1970 or 1974 vintages pop up at auction or specialist retailers. They are amazing wines and show what dry PM can become with age. Some recent vintages (1990 onwards) have been released following a change of ownership, with the dry cuvees being distinguished by green wax capsules. Yellow capsules signify Demi-sec and orange capsules are reserved sweet wines. These vintages have been more patchy in quality but on the whole are very good.
Neal Martin penned an in-depth article recently on the Vinous website which was very insightful.
Glad I found this thread lingering in the archives.
Doing some cellar re org. I have come across a 2012 Clos Thou Jurancon Supreme de Thou. I see I paid $42 in Calgary. Color looks pinkish but that could be the bottle?
Anyone have an idea how it might turn out??
Try my Milk Fed 2. Two weeks on skins, dry. Pretty nice wine. I would say that, I suppose, but I’m rather happy with it and the Cellartracker scores seem to agree.
About the grape - this is a perfect candidate for hotter growing regions. Yes, it has high acid, but in hot areas that gets naturally tempered and the numbers I’ve seen on mine tracks perfectly for a bigger white. I see a future for it here in CA. Also seems to really take to American Oak - they enhance and elevate each other in a way I’ve not seen with any other white grape.
Tre Monti Thea Bianco from Emilia romagna… about $30 and fermented dry(or very close). Some years see botrytis even in the dry style. My friend imported this for a few years but no longer does. I would be happy to pay for it though. Really nice rich white.
Recently took a flyer on the 2019 Petit Manseng made by La Clarine Farm in the Sierra Foothills, California - because I can’t resist trying odd varietals made in seeming random places - and I gotta say I was impressed! It perfectly captured the oxymoron that this grape seems to present, combining high acidity with gloriously ripe fruit, with a twinge of bitterness/nuttiness. Made me wonder why more CA wineries don’t attempt this.
