Manzoni Bianco: the Venetian cross between Riesling and Pinot Bianco
Manzoni Bianco — in full Incrocio Manzoni 6.0.13 — is not an ancient grape variety but a twentieth-century creation: it was born in the 1930s in Conegliano, from the cross between Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco, and from both it inherits aromatic finesse and an acid backbone. Today it is one of the signature whites of the Pedemontana Veneta, between the Montello, Asolo and the Marca Trevigiana. On this page you will find our selection — 11 labels from 10 € to 210 € — together with a guide to the denominations, food pairings and how to serve it.
The bottles tell the grape's two souls: the fresh, immediate one, vinified in steel, to drink young with fish; and the structured one of Italo Cescon's organic "Madre" line, which with ageing gains body, mature notes and a surprising ability to last for years.
Manzoni Bianco at a glance
Our Manzoni Bianco labels
The Manzoni Bianco labels available on VaiGustando, from the Pedemontana Veneta to Asolo. Click a wine for the full details and to buy.
Manzoni Bianco IGT
€10,00
Manzoni Bianco Veneto I.G.T.
€15,50
Costalunga Manzoni bianco
€20,00
Madre Manzoni Bianco Biologico Veneto Vintage 2022 I.G.T.
€36,00
Madre Manzoni Bianco Biologico Veneto I.G.T.
€38,00
Madre Manzoni Bianco Vintage 2017 - Biologico Veneto I.G.T.
€44,00
Madre Manzoni Bianco Vintage 2018 - Biologico Veneto I.G.T.
€44,00
Madre Manzoni Bianco Vintage 2016 - Biologico Veneto I.G.T.
€48,00
Madre Manzoni Bianco Biologico Veneto I.G.T. con bauletto
€50,00
Madre Magnum Manzoni Bianco Biologico Veneto I.G.T.
€89,90
Box 6 Bottiglie - Madre Manzoni Bianco Biologico Veneto I.G.T.
€210,00A cross born at the Conegliano wine school
Manzoni Bianco takes its name from its creator, professor Luigi Manzoni, who in the 1920s and 1930s, at the Regia Scuola di Viticoltura ed Enologia di Conegliano, crossed Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco in search of a white that would combine aroma and freshness. The code 6.0.13 simply indicates the position of the mother plant in the experimental vineyard — row 6, plant 13 — and it has remained the variety's technical name.
From Riesling, Manzoni takes its floral perfume and mineral streak; from Pinot Bianco, its elegance and measured body. It has no "historic" area of origin like the native varieties, but it has found its true home precisely in Veneto, and in particular in the belt of hills that runs from the Montello to Asolo, where our labels are born.
Where it is born: from the Pedemontana Veneta to Asolo
The Manzoni Bianco wines in our catalogue come from the foothill belt of the Treviso area, between the Piave plain and the hills of the Asolano:
- Pedemontana Veneta — the hills between Castelfranco and Asolo, where La Caneva dei Biasio makes its Manzoni Bianco IGT, fresh and vinified in steel.
- Asolo — the hills of Prosecco Superiore, where Cirotto produces "Costalunga", a hillside Manzoni.
- Veneto (Piave) — the banks of the Piave at Roncadelle di Ormelle, where Italo Cescon vinifies the organic "Madre" line.
Manzoni Bianco has no dedicated denomination: in our catalogue you will find it as Veneto IGT, the most flexible classification used in the region. As a varietal, it also falls under several Venetian DOCs (from Montello-Colli Asolani to Piave), depending on the production area.
Sensory profile: how to recognise it in the glass
In the glass, Manzoni Bianco shows a straw yellow with greenish reflections. On the nose it is fine and recognisable: white flowers and acacia, citrus and a note of apple and white peach, over a mineral base that recalls its kinship with Riesling.
On the palate it is dry, supported by a fine acidity and a medium body; the finish is clean, often with a citrus return. The alcohol ranges from 12,5 to 14% vol. Italo Cescon's organic "Madre" versions, aged for longer, add mature notes of yellow fruit and greater depth, while still remaining taut and fresh.
Our Manzoni Bianco producers
Three Venetian wineries, three interpretations of the same cross:
- Italo Cescon (Piave, Treviso) — wine artisans on the banks of the Piave since 1957; their organic "Madre" line takes Manzoni Bianco to the top of the range, with aged versions, magnums and historic vintages. Discover the winery →
- La Caneva dei Biasio (Cendrole, between Castelfranco and Asolo) — their Manzoni Bianco IGT is the freshest, most immediate version, vinified in steel: the everyday white for fish. Discover the winery →
- Cirotto (Asolo) — simple, honest wines from the hills of the Asolano; their "Costalunga" is a hillside Manzoni. Discover the winery →
Food pairings: what to eat with Manzoni Bianco
To understand what to drink Manzoni Bianco with, it helps to start from how it came about: it is the Incrocio Manzoni 6.0.13, the offspring of Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco, and from both it inherits finesse and nerve. The result is a dry yet fragrant white, with white flowers and acacia, citrus and a note of apple, supported by a fine acidity and a mineral base. The body is medium and freshness is its weapon at the table: it cuts through richness, cleanses the palate and makes it an all-meal wine, able to move from the antipasto to the fish main course without tiring. The wood-aged versions — like the cru wines of the foothills — gain structure and riper notes, and stand up to more substantial dishes. The rule is moderation: delicate or medium-intensity dishes, where its aromatic freshness accompanies without overpowering.
- Antipasti of fish, vegetables and light cured meats
- Delicate first courses: risottos, pasta with fish or vegetable sauces
- Fish, saltwater and freshwater, shellfish and fried dishes
- White meats and egg and asparagus dishes
- Cheeses, fresh and lightly aged mountain-dairy
In the Venetian foothills, between the Montello, Asolo and the Marca Trevigiana, Manzoni Bianco is the local house white and the region's cuisine plays to it. Its ideal companion is asparagi di Bassano with hard-boiled eggs, a tricky dish that its aromatic freshness tames; it also comes to the table well with asparagus risotto or a fry of lagoon fish. Towards the coast it rediscovers the great Venetian meat-free classics — baccalà mantecato on crostini, sarde in saor, folpetti — where the acidity cuts through the oiliness of the fish. To finish, a young mountain cheese such as Morlacco del Grappa rounds off the picture without forcing.
In short: the base version, fresh and fragrant, is the aperitif and the everyday white for fish, to be served at around 10-12°C, while the wood-aged interpretations rise in structure and stand up to richer dishes and medium-aged cheeses.
How to serve and store Manzoni Bianco
Serve Manzoni Bianco chilled, at 10-12 °C, in medium-sized white-wine glasses. For the more structured "Madre" versions you can go up a degree or two (12-13 °C) and use a slightly wider glass, to let the aromatic range open up.
In the cellar, keep the bottles lying down, in the dark, at a constant temperature. Once opened, store the wine in the fridge with the cork in: the base version should be drunk within a couple of days, while the "Madre" wines hold up a little longer.
Ageing: to drink young, but not only
Manzoni Bianco is in most cases a white to drink young, to enjoy its floral and citrus freshness. But it is not an absolute rule:
- To drink now (1-2 years) — the steel-fermented versions such as the Manzoni IGT by La Caneva dei Biasio and the Costalunga by Cirotto: full fruit and a citrus drive.
- A few more years (3-6 years) — the organic "Madre" line by Italo Cescon, which with ageing develops mature notes and minerality: a white that, surprisingly, improves with time.
Buying guide
Our selection covers every price range. It starts with the everyday (10-20 €) with the Manzoni IGT by La Caneva dei Biasio (10 €), the Manzoni Cescon (15,50 €) and the Costalunga by Cirotto (20 €). It then climbs towards the top of the range with Italo Cescon's organic "Madre" line (from 36 € to 50 €), up to the magnums and collector formats (89,90 € for the magnum, 210 € for the 6-bottle case).
You will find up-to-date prices and the buy button in the product cards above.
Other Venetian whites to discover
Keep exploring the Venetian whites in our catalogue: Pinot Grigio. Or browse all the white wines.