Born and raised in Munich, he obtained most of his education at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München under Lars Woldt. Prior to that, he studied at the Mozarteum Salzburg with Andreas Macco and Fenna Kügel-Seifried. He received important artistic impulses from Christian Gerhaher, Hedwig Fassbender, Malcolm Martineau, Elena Pankratova, Fritz Schwinghammer, Michelle Wegwart, Christiane Iven, James Cheung and Ian Bostridge. During his studies, he participated in several opera productions, built up an extensive stage repertoire and already performed at the  Munich Gärtnerplatztheater in March 2022. In 2023 he was a scholarship holder of the Richard Wagner Verband Munich.

In the 2023/2024 season the bass made his debut as Mother (K. Weill: The Seven Deadly Sins) at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Antwerp and Ghent, as well as as Reinmar von Zweter (R. Wagner: Tannhäuser) and Sarastro (W. A. Mozart: The Magic Flute) at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. In the summer of 2024 he was of the Young Singers Project at the Salzburg Festival and performed as the 3rd Vagabond (C. Orff: Die Kluge) among other things.

Since 2024/2025 season Manuel Winckhler is a member of the International Opera Studio at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, embodying various roles in his field. In early 2025, he returns as the Hermit (C. M. v. Weber: Der Freischütz) to Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.

The young bass is a well appreciated concert singer. His repertoire ranges from J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart and J. Haydn up to J. Brahms and F. Mendelsohn-B. He performed under the baton of renowned conductors such as Pietari Inkinen, Philippe Herreweghe, Jordi Savall, Roderich Kreile and Johanna Soller, collaborating with ensembles such as the Deutsche Radiophilharmonie, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Collegium Vocale Gent, Munich Philharmonic or capella sollertia. As a song interpreter Winckhler has mainly dedicated himself to the works of Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert, and Johannes Brahms, and has performed with pianists like Fritz Schwinghammer or James Cheung.