Tiger Mountain Vineyards

There’s a lot of excitement about this variety in the Southeast, particularly the mid-Atlantic regions of Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. The grape originated in the Jurançon region of southwest France, where it produces highly praised moelleux (lightly sweet) wines noted for their longevity. Here in north Georgia, it grows well, giving relatively high yields without sacrificing character. Tiger Mountain planted this variety in 2001 and is pleased enough with its success to plant more this year. Some wineries make it off-dry, bringing out peach/pineapple aromas, but I quite like the very dry Tiger Mountain 2007, made from vines grown at 2000 foot elevation.

The 2007 Petit Manseng is dry and crisp, with zesty accents of lemon and a complex of minerals intensified by high acidity. It could be an intriguing choice with oysters on the half shell because of the mineral component, sort of like Muscadet but steelier and with its own definite character.

Though an April freeze destroyed most mid-Atlantic white varieties in 2007, Tiger Mountain’s Manseng produced a bountiful second crop. The vintage turned out to be quite warm and dry through harvest — drought conditions that benefited winegrowers, much to the despair of backyard gardeners throughout the Southeast. Fine restaurants in the South would find this Petit Manseng a laudable by-the-glass offering — an excellent way to introduce wine drinkers to this somewhat rare wine.

Reviewed July 14, 2008 by Barbara Ensrud.