Manincor, Pinot Bianco Eichhorn, Alto Adige, 2023
Manincor, Pinot Bianco Eichhorn, Alto Adige, 2023
- 75cl
- 13%
- White Still
- Pinot Blanc
- Biodynamic
- Vegan
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2031
Made entirely from Pinot Bianco grown in the “Liebeneich” vineyard in Terlan, this wine captures the essence of its hillside origin - mineral-rich sandy clay soils and a gentle, breezy microclimate at 300 meters elevation. It’s a bright, elegant white that really shows off its Alpine roots.
Perfect with delicate fish dishes, seafood, veggie plates, or tangy cheeses - or as an apéritif - it’s best served lightly chilled (around 8–10°C) in a Burgundy glass to let all those subtle aromas open up. While it's already drinking beautifully, it’ll continue to evolve gracefully through 2031.
The 2023 is already drinking with real confidence — the fruit is fresh and precise, the acidity bright, and there is nothing here that needs softening. Over the next two to three years the almond and mineral notes will knit further into the fruit, adding a little more texture and weight. By 2028 or so, a more complex, almost waxy character typical of aged Pinot Bianco from Terlano should start to emerge. We would aim to drink most bottles before 2031, though well-stored examples may hold further. This is not a wine you need to sit on, but it will reward those who do.
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale straw with a faint green edge and excellent clarity.
NoseWhite pear and green apple lead, followed by something chalky and cool — like a freshly cut stone. There is a faint almond blossom quality that lifts the whole thing without tipping it into aromatic excess.
PalatePrecise and linear, with bright acidity that keeps everything taut. The fruit is understated — white stone fruit, a squeeze of citrus — but the mineral quality is what gives this its backbone, a clean, almost saline grip through the mid-palate.
FinishDry, focused, and long, with that mineral thread running right to the end.
Overall impressionAlto Adige Pinot Bianco at its most serious — all precision and Alpine cool, with nothing wasted.
Food Pairings
In Alto Adige, a wine like this would be poured alongside Speck — the region's prized dry-cured ham — or a plate of house-made Schlutzkrapfen, the half-moon pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach that appears on almost every local menu. Freshwater trout from the mountain streams is a natural pairing, whether pan-fried simply in butter or served with a herb crust. It also holds its own against the area's tangy alpine cheeses, particularly younger Graukäse, whose acidity and funk the wine's minerality handles effortlessly.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 8 to 10°C — cold enough to keep the acidity vibrant, warm enough to let the mineral character open up. No need to decant; pour straight from the bottle and let it warm very slightly in the glass. A tulip-shaped white wine glass or a wider Burgundy-style glass both work well here, giving the subtle aromatics enough room to develop without dispersing too quickly.
The Eichhorn wine takes its name from the Liebeneich vineyard in Terlan, one of Alto Adige's most celebrated white wine villages, sitting at around 300 metres on the valley's western slopes. The soils here are sandy clay with a strong mineral character — light enough to encourage deep root penetration, fine-grained enough to retain freshness through warm Alpine summers. A persistent valley breeze keeps the canopy cool and the grapes tight-skinned, which translates directly into the wine's crisp, focused character.
Alto Adige DOC covers the northernmost wine-producing province in Italy, tucked into the Dolomites where the climate is genuinely Alpine despite the southerly latitude. The region is overwhelmingly white wine country, and Pinot Bianco has long been one of its signature grapes — more so here than almost anywhere else in the world. Terlan is a commune within the DOC with its own sub-appellation (Alto Adige Terlano DOC), renowned for whites of uncommon mineral depth and ageing potential. The rules are strict on yields, and the best producers use them as a floor rather than a ceiling.
The 2023 growing season in Alto Adige was shaped by a warm, dry summer that extended well into September, giving growers the kind of slow, unhurried ripening that the region's mountain viticulture is built for. Altitude did a lot of the heavy lifting — the cool nights that define the Adige Valley kept acidity sharp even as temperatures climbed, avoiding the flatness that blighted lower-altitude Italian regions in the same year. There were concerns about water stress in some areas, but overall the harvest came in healthy, with good concentration and no shortage of freshness.
The result is a vintage that rewards across the board. Whites — Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Sauvignon Blanc — show real precision and lift, with the kind of mineral tension that makes Alto Adige whites so addictive. Reds, particularly Lagrein and Pinot Nero, hit a sweet spot between structure and drinkability. Most whites are drinking well now and will hold comfortably until 2027 or 2028; the better Lagreins and Pinot Neros have more to give and are worth sitting on until 2026 at least.
FAQs
What does the Eichhorn taste like?
It is a lean, precise white with white pear, citrus, and a distinct mineral quality that runs from the nose right through to the finish. Think Alpine freshness rather than richness — this is a wine about tension and focus, not weight.
When should I drink this wine?
It is drinking well right now and will continue to do so until around 2031. If anything, a little time in bottle will add texture and complexity, but there is no reason to wait if a good bottle of white is what you need tonight.
What food works well with it?
Delicate fish and seafood are the natural partners — simply cooked trout, scallops, or a clean prawn dish all work brilliantly. It is also excellent with herb-dressed vegetables, mild alpine cheeses, or just a plate of good Speck. Fine as an aperitif on its own, too.
How should I serve it?
Serve it well chilled at around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius. No decanting needed — just pour and let it warm very slightly in the glass. A Burgundy-style glass gives the aromatics a bit of room if you have one to hand.
Is Pinot Bianco worth cellaring?
From Terlano, yes — this sub-zone produces some of the longest-lived Pinot Bianco in the world. The Eichhorn is not a short-term wine dressed up as a serious one. It has the acidity and mineral depth to develop genuine complexity over five or more years. That said, it gives a great deal of pleasure young, so there is no compulsion to wait.
What makes Manincor special?
Manincor is one of the few estates in Alto Adige to farm entirely biodynamically across all 50 hectares, certified Demeter since 2007. The combination of exceptional vineyard sites, honest farming, and a winemaking team that knows when to step back makes for wines that consistently punch above their appellation's already high benchmark.
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