The Casale del Giglio 2017 Petit Manseng shows an interesting take on this grape that can often give heavy or unctuous characteristics. Instead, winemaking here is executed at cold temperatures to avoid malolactic fermentation and to keep the bouquet more informal and accessible overall. This is a lean to mid-weight white wine with warm-vintage aromas of orchard fruit, honey and spicy saffron. Some 20,000 bottles were released.

The 2016 Petit Manseng is perfumed and floral with honey, acacia flower and tropical fruit. The wine is delicate and silky in texture with a long and streamlined mouthfeel that imparts more juicy fruit flavors at the end. The wine is fermented on the skins but aged only in stainless steel.

Casale del Giglio, from the Lazio region in central Italy, exports what may well be Italy’s only 100% expression of Petit Manseng. The wine is fragrant and ripe with pretty tones of peach blossom, jasmine and honeysuckle. ——M.L.(3/1/2011)—— 87