MARCH WINE BOX: THE BEST OF - GREAT PERLAGE
Stage #36
The best of Sommelier Wine Box: great perlage
Cantina della Volta , Bomporto (MO)
The name comes from the ships coming from Modena which in the fifteenth century, following the course of the canal, made the "turn" here to resume navigation in the opposite direction towards the ducal city of Parma. The company was founded in 2010 thanks to Christian Bellei and Angela Sini, after the structural recovery of the old building dating back to 1920 of their great-grandfather Francesco. Christian, encouraged by his friends to take over the family business, follows a new path that is not very common in the area, making use of all the winemaking knowledge acquired from his father who was among the first in the Modena area to adopt the Classic Method. From the beginning, the objective has been to become the leader of a niche market of very high quality local wines. And he can say he succeeded.
Mazzolada Agricultural Society , Portogruaro (VE)
The Mazzolada estate cultivates 95 hectares of vineyards, all within the Lison-Pramaggiore DOC denomination. Most of the vines are newly planted, with a density between 3,500 and 4,500 per hectare and therefore not exaggerated, respecting the plants.
Password: respect for traditions, with the help of cutting-edge techniques and equipment, such as soft pressing, controlled temperature in winemaking and aging in barrique .
The essentially clay-limestone soils give fruity and fresh wines, white and red, with interesting vinifications also of sparkling wines, from non-traditional vines, which we discover in the selection.
Tenuta Mariani , Massaciuccoli (LU)
Tenuta Mariani is located in Versilia, in the town of Massaciuccoli, a stone's throw from the lake of the same name. The careful work and passion of the family, with the contribution of the oenologists Lamberto Tosi and Julian Gout, give life every year to a precious and limited production of wine and extra virgin olive oil, appreciated far beyond the regional borders. The vineyards, in organic conversion, and located in the best plots of the area which run from sea level up to 200 meters above sea level, are heterogeneous in terms of exposure and soil composition. Taking advantage of the characteristics of the area and the vineyards available, the owner Ido Mariani managed to realize the dream of producing sparkling wines - both with the Charmat method and above all with the classic or "Champenoise" method - after learning the secrets from the masters in Champagne. Incredible to think of a production of sparkling wines obtained with grapes grown at sea level, but the results prove Ido right and his dream has today been transformed into a brilliant reality: thanks to his great passion, strong resourcefulness and terroir unique.
Ca' di Frara , Mornico Losana (PV)
We are located in Oltrepò Pavese. The company is managed by Luca Bellani, who took over the family business in the 1990s, a business started already in 1905 by his great-grandfather Giovanni with the purchase of some plots of vineyard land between the municipality of Mornico Losana and Oliva Gelsi. Oriented towards total respect for the product, the company combines tradition with the best and most modern winemaking technique. Maximum attention has always been paid to the choice of the most suitable soil for the different vines; natural cultivation is carried out in all vineyards, treatments are controlled and reduced to a minimum. Luca brought the idea of clonal selection and harvesting exclusively by hand, soft pressing of the grapes with a yield of 50%. All this and the choice of total respect for the product make Luca Bellani a producer who is creating something unique in this area. His wines always know how to surprise with their quality standards.
Stefanago Castle , Fortunago (PV)
Those who know a little about the world of wine know that Castello di Stefanago is a model. More: a precursor. The brothers Antonio and Giacomo Baruffaldi manage the company in Borgo Priolo, in Oltrepò Pavese. An estate of over 130 hectares, of which 22 are vineyards, in the center of which stands the castle tower, testimony to a thousand-year history.
They chose organic farming when it was not yet so widespread, when sensitivity to the topic was not as strong as it is today. At Castello di Stefanago the vineyard is an independent ecosystem, it is the sun at the center of the universe: it is observed and cared for with the aim of adapting each intervention to real needs, without ever losing sight of the health of the plants and the vitality of the soil. It is an almost holistic approach, which requires attention to many details and unconditional respect for nature .
I often meet Antonio and Giacomo when traveling to trade fairs: they always have something new to try. After all, they grow Barbera, Pinot Noir, Croatina, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhenish Riesling: there is no shortage of grapes, nor even wisdom .
ENTHUSIAST BOX
Brut Rosso, Cantina della Volta
100% Lambrusco di Sorbara. In a land dominated by the dark sparkling wines produced by our grandfather, the Cantina della Volta proposes this color in a brilliant ruby red wine, with chains of fine and uninterrupted perlage , characteristic of the Classic Method. On the nose there are inviting fragrances of raspberries and juicy strawberries mixed with intriguing citrus notes. On the palate it enters decisively, as an authentic Sorbara, then broadens with rich fruity flavours. Pleasant finish, good persistence, excellent balance between acidity and flavor, clean finish.
Perfect to be enjoyed immediately or within a couple of years at most.
Pairing: cockerel with peppers . Serving temperature: 8°-10° C.
Charmat Method, Rosé Spumante Extra Dry, Mazzolada
This is an Extra Dry sparkling wine made from Raboso and Merlot grapes vinified in pink, to be consumed throughout the meal or for toasting on spring evenings.
A truly special Rosé, obtained with the Charmat Method, with fermentation in an autoclave for 45 days at 15° C with selected yeasts.
It has a pale pink color and decidedly fresh, fruity and floral aromas.
Red berries mark the olfactory aspect completed by a floral that leads to slightly earthy notes of geranium. The flavor is creamy, rightly savory, while still closing on notes of small red fruits.
To drink immediately, or within a couple of years.
To be enjoyed throughout the meal, perfect in particular with fried foods in batter or with ham and melon... Serving temperature: 10-12° C.
Charmat Method Sparkling Wine “Sabbia e Mare”, Tenuta Mariani
A more appropriate name could not have been chosen for this very pleasant sparkling wine produced with grapes that feed on sea water.
The Chardonnay, Vermentino and Sangiovese grapes used for the production of this sparkling wine are grown in the vineyards of Villa Borbone, on the sandy soils 500 meters away from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The varieties are harvested and fermented separately in steel at a controlled temperature, to subsequently undergo a period of refinement on the fine lees for 6 months. Once the ideal blend has been composed, which is different each year in terms of percentages, the second fermentation is carried out in an autoclave with the Charmat or Martinotti method.
A fragrant and lively sparkling wine that presents itself in the glass with a brilliant straw color. On the nose the fruity and floral notes are embellished with suggestions of the Mediterranean scrub and above all with a marked saline minerality. Fresh and decidedly savory tasting, with rare shelf life.
To drink within 1 year.
Pairing: perfect as an aperitif, it is the ideal companion in the company of raw seafood and shellfish. Serve at 8-10°C.
EXPERT BOX
Sixties, Ca' di Frara
100% Pinot Noir grapes from the municipality of Oliva Gessi, from calcareous-marble soil. Classic Method Zero Dosage, 60 months on the lees. Soft pressing, selection of 30% of the must, unique for Classic Methods, the result of its creator's desire to differentiate himself. Cold decantation and controlled temperature fermentation. Refermentation in the bottle with addition of must and selected yeasts. A Blanc de Noirs with light golden reflections. On the nose it presents aromas of ripe fruit with a pleasantly citrine finish. The mouth is creamy, broad and well-balanced, with a savory, mineral and fruity finish.
To drink within 4 years.
Pairing: salmon tartare with pink pepper. Serving temperature: 7-8° C.
Thirty-six, Cantina della Volta
100% Lambrusco di Sorbara.
Classic Method that challenges everyone due to the long stay on the yeasts (36 months!) - a sacrilege for many with Lambrusco di Sorbara grapes, but not for Christian. Extremely brilliant, with an intense ruby red colour. On the nose there are hints of morello cherries, currants and wild rose. Good body with excellent extracts. Savory, compact and creamy. Complex wine, capable of combining the modernity and tradition of Lambrusco, to be served at 8° C in a Grand Champagne glass.
To drink within 2/4 years .
Pairing: mussel and clam stew.
Ancestral Blanc de Blanc, Stefanago Castle
A real surprise. In the land of Pinot Noir it was not easy to produce something special but at Castello di Stefanago they succeeded. In the Ancestral Classic Method the grapes (Chardonnay, Riesling and Müller Thurgau) are harvested when fully ripe: this is the first big difference from the "technological" Classic Method, in which the search for acidity leads to an early harvest. A perfectly ripe bean gives complete sensations. Fermentation stops with the natural drop in autumn temperatures, and then resumes the following spring. And here is the wonder of the second refermentation, without additions. After manual disgorgement, topping up takes place with the same wine, without the addition of liqueur .
A vinification like this can only produce a glass with a perennial and fine perlage , in which the aromas are clear, fruity and intense. The carbonic consistency is never aggressive, on the contrary it is a natural caress, a constant invitation to the next sip.
To drink within 4 years.
A sparkling wine whose structure and elegance pairs successfully with classic risottos of the Lombard tradition, but also with a nice plate of spaghetti with clams and Pachino tomatoes! Serving temperature: 8° C.
