The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2018

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18  /  the tasting panel  /  july 2018 S ummer might be the most fitting time of year to relax with a glass of spar- kling wine you don't have to think too hard about—but that doesn't mean you can't think about the wine's attributes at all. Last month I tried a number of wonderful spar- kling wines that gave me pause as I dwelled on their merits. First, I got to spend some time with the won- derful, quality-driven Trentodoc metodo clas- sico wines (with various producers, prices, and importers) of northern Italy's Trentino region. No indigenous grapes here: Instead, these wines are made primarily from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and age beautifully, making them more akin to the wines of Lombardy's Franciacorta than the Veneto's Prosecco. Sparkling wine production in Trentino dates back to the early 20th century, when Giulio Ferrari started making metodo classico wines in the region. In 1993, Trentodoc became the first wine of its kind granted DOC status in Italy, and 51 producers are currently involved with the Istituto Trento Doc, the region's promotional body. For more information, visit trentodoc.com. Speaking of Prosecco, I spent a delight- ful cocktail hour with La Marca Prosecco's Claudia Manetta to celebrate the launch of Luminore, a limited- release Prosecco imported by E. & J. Gallo from Italy's highest-quality desig- nation of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. At an SRP of $30, Luminore is a next-level sparkling wine from the leading Prosecco brand in the U.S. market. It shows pleasant notes of green apple and is geared toward the fine wine retail and on-premise market. Finally, at an awards dinner sponsored by Wines of Bordeaux at Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster in Harlem, I tried a delightful Crémant de Bordeaux rosé from producer Jaillance (the wine is imported by Baron Francois). Crémant de Bordeaux gained AOC status in 1990, and the Cuvée de l'Abbaye Brut Rosé ($15) is vinified in the méthode traditionelle style from handpicked Merlot. Aged 18 months before release, this salmon-colored bubbly is everything a sum- mer sparkler should be: light, refreshing, and incredibly versatile. The Ransom Note is a monthly column by The Tasting Panel's East Coast Editor, David Ransom. Each month, David connects readers with some of the people, products, and events making news along the Eastern Seaboard. Breakout Sparklers for Summer Sipping PHOTO: MEGAN DEANGELO Claudia Manetta of La Marca with the new Luminore Prosecco Superiore DOCG. A lineup of Trentodoc wines from Italy's Trentino region. PHOTO COURTESY OF TIFFANY SAGE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO: DAVID RANSOM

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