I was at a gathering of NYC wine writers to taste Virginia wines. Among the wines was Glen Manor Petite Manseng 2017. It goes without saying that Jeff White is among my favorite winemakers on the East Coast. He has a tremendously delicate hand. He makes classic wines that I think are incredible. I have written almost solely about his reds in the past, about which I gushed. I am here to tell you that my opinion of his skills have not changed.
Petite Manseng his his smallest planting - he only grows about 1.5 acres of the stuff, approximately 2050 vines. They were planted in 2008. The vines have been cane pruned and trained to the Double Guyot system.
The Glen Manor Petite Manseng 2017 was one of the most memorable wines of the afternoon. Jeff's Petit Manseng is an off-dry white that started off with candied fruit notes of dried citrus, pineapple, and other tropical fruits. While being slightly sweet, it is balanced with a lovely acidity that leaves a fresh and tingling feeling on the palate. Light, ethereal, and refreshing, the wine was spectacular.
Great job Jeff!