The Gros Manseng Grape

(Synonyms: Gros Mansenc Blanc, Gros Manseng Blanc, Handia, Ichiriota Zuria, Ichiriota Zuriahandla, Manseng Gros Blanc, Petit-Mansenc)

Background

Gros Manseng is a white-wine grape originating in southwest France; while it populates that entire region now, it is thought to have begun in Jurançon. It is occasionally bottled as a monovarietal, being much more often one component of one of the characteristic regional blends (such as Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Jurançon, which latter can be sweet or sec, dry).

Gros Manseng is closely related to the supposedly more premium grape Petit Manseng, and both are often used in the same blends. Gros Manseng is more productive but regarded as less "elegant and rich" than its cousin grape; nonetheless, it makes some quite good and pleasing wines on its own. Some are, in the style of the region, vinified sweet (because this is a very high-sugar grape), but not a few are made as table wine. (One can make a colorable argument that the preference for Petit over Gros arises largely because Petit makes extraordinarily luscious sweet wines, and that for dry table wines, Gros is as good or better.)

Gros Manseng wines are typically dark (for a white) and intensely flavored with fruit and floral aromas and tastes; typically, one hears of apricot and quince, along with spice and flowers. The wines are medium- to full-bodied and high in acidity, which well balances their richness. The nature of the wine depends a good deal on the vineyard practices: Gros Manseng grapes picked early will make light, easy wines with an alcohol content of 11.5% to 12% marked by a fresh-fruit, floral quality; grapes picked later, making wines in the 12.5% to 13.5% alcohol range will have much more powerful "big wine" flavors and aromas. The alcohol level is thus a good proxy for the style of any particular bottling.

Factoid: Gros Manseng is nowadays also made in a sweet botrytized style, often significantly oaked, and such wines are receiving good reports.

Some Descriptions of Gros Manseng Wines

Wikipedia
“On its own, Gros Manseng has the potential to produce intensely flavored wines with high acidity, apricot and quince fruit along with spicy and floral notes. The time of harvest will play a large role in the type of wine that the grape will produce. When it is picked at a potential alcohol level of 11.5-12%, the resulting wine will have more characteristics of fresh fruit and flowers. If picked later at a potential alcohol content of 12.5-13.5, the flavors will be much more intense and powerful.”
Wine Searcher
“When picked early, Gros Manseng produces dry wines with an appealing floral aroma, high acidity and spiced-apricot fruit flavours, vaguely resembling Viognier. The vine can yield large crops that still retain quality, although the grape’s thick skins can lead to high alcohol levels and tannins if the variety is not treated gently in the winery.”
Fringe Wine
“The rule of thumb with the two vines is that dry table wines tend to be made from the Gros Manseng plants while sweet dessert wines are made from the Petit Manseng. Like every rule, this one has its exceptions, but it’s a trend that you can reliably bank on most of the time. In the Jurançon, located about 30 km from the Spanish border, the production of dry white table wines from any member of the Manseng family is a relatively recent phenomenon…
Anivin de France
“With aromas of quince and apricot, white wines made from Gros Manseng, which are most often dry, are highly alluring. They often feature hints of spiced flowers. Sometimes, when harvested after overripening, they have a certain sweetness, with notes of candied fruits and exotic fruits (mango, pineapple and passion fruit). Gros Manseng is a grape variety with exceptional flavors. It has a strong acid flavor that gives it a highly elegant character…Wines made with Gros Manseng have a moderate alcohol potential, and are very powerful, sometimes reaching 13% alcohol content. ”
Les Caves de Pyrène
“The distinguishing characteristic of this variety is its scything acidity, and it is not fanciful to perceive the purity and freshness as part and parcel of its mountain environment…Jurançon has a long growing season and is one of the sunniest wine growing climates in France. This enables the grapes to reach maturity and acquire aromatic ripe citrus flavours.”
Nohkrin Wines: Get to Know a Grape
“Wines made from Gros Manseng typically have good acidity and pleasant floral and apricot aromas…Picking the grape too early will not allow its full flavours and intensity to come out, while waiting too long will lead to “flat’ wines that lack flavour and are ‘short’ in the mouth. Additionally, if a winemaker is too rough with the berries, there is a risk of the wine developing excess tannins, making it difficult to drink. Gros Manseng really shines when it comes to food pairings. Its sweetness-acidity balance lends itself well to a variety of dishes.”
Lionel Osmin et Cie
“Gros Mansengs offer an aromatic range around a sulphur molecule. These thiols give pronounced exotic fruit or citrus notes. Associated with the natural acidity of the vine, its notes confer freshness and elegance on wines derived from Gros Mansengs.”
Wines of Southwest France
“Gros Manseng…is mostly used to make highly fragrant and crisply fruity dry whites, the best of which have amazing vitality.”
Christopher Piper Wines
“Characteristics: Aromatic dry and richly sweet but balanced whites.”

Some Gros Mansengs to Try

There are numerous specimens of Gros Manseng available at reasonable prices, but there are obstacles for one seeking out such wines. First, many are not monovarietal but simply blends containing some Gros Manseng; those might be fine wines, but the idea here is to present monovarietal (or nearly so) bottlings, so that the grape’s nature can be evaluated. Second, many Gros Manseng wines are hidden behind the designation “Jurançon Sec”; such wines can be blends but are fairly often 100% Gros Manseng. Third, one has to take care not to be buying a sweet dessert rendition (and it’s easy to be misled—look for that word sec, “dry”). Fourth, while there are many specimens out there, a high percentage have very limited availability.

Professional wine critics seem not to have much love for Gros Manseng: decent rating numbers really don’t exist. Yet consumer ratings of these wines are often rather strong. One wonders if the pros are dazzled by Petit Manseng and its killer sweet wines. But we hold that Gros Manseng is a good addition to anyone’s arsenal of varieties.

The short list below is what we could find with both decent ratings and decent availability, but check your favorite retailers for “Jurançon Sec” wines that are mostly or wholly Gros Manseng. They’re worth the effort.

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Monday, 8 November 2021, at 8:26 am Pacific Time.

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