Our father, who was often in Veneto for work, had known this wine based on Incrocio Manzoni , unknown to us at the time. It was love at first sight, or rather at first taste!
In 2003, when he began, together with the agronomist, to study the first planting of the vineyard, his great dream, there was a seminar in Velletri on this vine and on the possibilities of planting it in Lazio.
He interpreted it as a sign of destiny and within a week he had the order of cuttings from Incrocio Manzoni ready.
He used to take care of everything down to the smallest detail, but he had a sort of "veneration" for this vine; he personally went to wait for the vehicle that would deliver them at the beginning of the road, as if it were a special arrival. He educated himself meticulously on this grape and spoke about it almost in poetic tones, sure of producing a particular white, of a superior level.
In 2007 our first bottle of Zefiro saw the light and for dad it was truly an immense joy.
But let's get to know this magnificent vine and the wine that takes shape from it a little better.
THE HISTORY OF THE IM
Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, 90% of the vineyards in Europe were practically destroyed due to the infestation of parasites, primarily phylloxera, a small aphid that arrived from America. ( it is thought that phylloxera was introduced to Europe from the Americas through commercial ships that began to transport crops and plants from the new continent but, together with these, the terrible host also crossed the ocean). Phylloxera landed in Europe probably in the port of Marseille , around 1860; as early as 1863, the first vines died in Gard, Occitania. From there shortly, the insect spread throughout France and then, via naval transport, throughout Europe and the world .
Only the joint effort of many scholars made it possible to save the vine and our beloved wine. There were multiple counteroffensive attempts: flooding of the vineyards, compression of the soil, silting up of the roots, grafting and genetic improvement of the vine through crossing and hybridization .
Prof. Luigi Manzoni , agronomist and geneticist, then principal of the Enological School of Conegliano Veneto, developed a series of crossbreeding combinations in two different periods: the first period between 1924 and 1930 was marked with 2 numbers ( the first indicated the number of the row and the second the number of the log on the row ) and the second between 1930 and 1935 and was identified by a group of 3 digits , of which the central one is always 0 .
He used different grape varieties for his experiments, but only some of these combinations gave satisfactory results. In the 40s and 50s, the crosses 2.15 (Glera x Cabernet Franc) and 2.3 ( Trebbiano from a cross between Riesling Renano x Pinot Bianco and Manzoni Moscato 13.0.25, cross between Raboso Piave x Moscato d'Hamburg.
Also worth mentioning is the Manzoni Rosa (Trebbiano
The ultimate aim was therefore to create, through ''guided pollination'', a ''super vine'' capable of resisting attacks by phylloxera. It seems easy to say now but in those years it wasn't easy. Professor Manzoni's work required a lot of patience, passion and determination. It carried out its task in a short time and in a difficult period of Italian history that started from the ashes of the Great War to the prelude to the devastation brought by the Second World War.
IM WHITE 6.0.13
The Manzoni Bianco 6.0.13 , also known as Incrocio Manzoni , or even more simply as Manzoni Bianco , is therefore the most famous clone among those designed and developed by Prof. Manzoni.
Native vine from the province of Treviso , born from the cross between Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco , is now cultivated throughout almost the entire national territory, having notable adaptability to very different climates and soils. (However, Veneto and Trentino remain the two regions with its widest diffusion.)
It has a limited production . In fact, it has a small, conical or cylindrical bunch, often with a wing and medium compact (the weight varies from 80 to 150 grams). The grape is medium-small, spherical and yellow-green in colour, the skin is thick, rather firm, medium pruinous and has a slightly aromatic flavour. In our vineyard it has a deliberately lower yield than its already natural one. With Guyot pruning, we average around 40/45 quintals per hectare. It is also our earliest grape variety. Its harvest usually begins between August 16th and 18th. Our Incrocio Manzoni vineyard is nestled in the sunniest and most ventilated hill of our estate. (father, with good reason, dedicated the most beautiful area to him almost as if he wanted to immediately create a sort of ' Grand Cru' among our white grape varieties!)
''This is a grape that is never the same, which gives a slightly different imprint to the wine depending on the vintage it faces. It is surprising, unrepeatable, unique. It preserves the characteristics of both parents in its aromatic spectrum. It is a grape that is more acidic and mineral in colder years, like the riesling mother. Instead, it is more graceful and fruity in more temperate vintages, like our Pinot Blanc.'' we love to repeat when tasting our Zefiro.
ZEPHYR
And here is Zefiro , our iconic white obtained from 100% Incrocio Manzoni grapes:
Intense and bright straw yellow. Elegant and complex aroma, with hints of pineapple, ripe apricot, exotic fruit, peach blossoms with slight nuances of wisteria and aromatic notes. Sumptuous flavour, remarkable structure also due to the very low yields of the grapes on the vine. In the mouth it is voluminous supported by a high alcohol content, excellent acid balance, full and soft aftertaste, long and persistent with notes of exotic fruit.
If it took its body and power from its ''father'' (Pinot Blanc), from its ''mother'' it inherited the delicate aroma typical of Riesling: very distinct personality for our Zephyr, but which always leads back to an intrinsic duplicity.
The result is a wine appreciated for its balance, elegance, peculiar minerality but above all for its great finesse.
Zefiro, since its first year of production (2007), immediately expressed excellent expressive potential. Perfumes which, sip after sip, release an unparalleled bouquet of floral and citrus emotions, to be savored glass after glass. A long-lived wine, also suitable for aging, it is ideal for starters, first and second courses of fish, even well-structured ones. Also excellent with fresh vegetables and cheeses, try it with pea cream or asparagus. It also lends itself beautifully as an aperitif.
Now all you have to do is try it!
Cheers!!