NAPLESILLUSTRATED.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019 113
when he invented a series of new varieties at
Italy’s school of oenology in Conegliano in the
1920s and ’30s. The most famous is Manzoni Bi-
anco, a cross between Riesling and Pinot Blanc
that also has the advantage of ripening early and
being resistant to powdery mildew and rot.
Probably the best version of Manzoni Bianco
is Fórra ($30), made by the Alois Lageder winery
in Alto Adige. It has an intriguing nose of stone
fruit, quince, and ripe melon. The wine’s initial
richness is balanced by good acidity, with a fin-
ish that is long and resonant. The texture is ripe
and opulent, almost unctuous, featuring flavors of stewed apricots, cit-
rus zest, fig, and mandarin orange.
Another riveting example is Kerner, a cross between Riesling and
Trollinger developed in Germany in 1929. David Ramey’s Sidebar Cel-
lars grows and vinifies California’s only planting of Kerner, located along
the Mokelumne River in Lodi. The 2018 Sidebar Cellars Kerner ($25) has
fetching scents of lime blossom, minerals, and citrus. The wine is vibrant
and spicy on entry, displaying sparkling acidity and a fine peppery edge.
Neither crosses nor hybrids should be confused with the native mus-
cadines that grow naturally across the United States. Southern varieties
include Carlos and Noble, as
well as the famous North Caro-
lina Scuppernong. These large grapes have thick skins that are rich in
antioxidants, and they produce wine in a range of styles; here in Florida,
the most successful versions come from Lakeridge Winery in Clermont.
Whether you choose to try a hybrid, cross, or muscadine, the world of
wine is larger than you may have originally thought. «GET READY TO PLAY! NAPLESBEACHHOTEL.COMOur championship golf course,
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From golf to spa to dining, our guests love the amenities found at our
125-acre beachfront resort, but you can enjoy them too.Alois Lageder’s Fórra is one of the
finest examples of Manzoni Bianco, a
Riesling and Pinot Blanc cross first
created between 1930 and 1935.GREGORKHUEN^ BELASI^