2018 Manni Nössing Müller-Thurgau Saas Rigais

 

12% abv

This wine has matured beautifully. I think Sass Rigais is the name of a local mountain. Vineyards are located in Valle Isarco, northeast of Bolzano. Fruit ages on the lees in stainless steel barrels for nine months and does not undergo malolactic fermentation. 

Pop and pour. Delicious right out of the gate with brisk Alpine influenced fruit, citrus upfront with balanced acidity leading into a surprisingly lush tropical inflected finish... nice complexity. Definitely a rebuy.

Enjoyed with bucatini and morel shrooms. 

2021 Artuke Trascuevas Blanco

13% abv

In the quest for unique white wines, I recently found this producer. 

"....a blend of 90% Viura with 5% each Malvasía Riojana and Palomino Fino from three vineyards in the villages of Baños de Ebro, Samaniego and Ábalos. The clusters were pressed, and the juice fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in similar proportions in 600-liter oak foudres and concrete tanks for 11 months...."

Showing nicely, although young. Quite the mouthwatering chanteuse ...the addition of the Palomino is what sets it apart... paired with blackened catfish etouffee and hushpuppies...