The Tasting Panel magazine

March 2015

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34  /  the tasting panel  /  march 2015 OVER THE TABLE Monte Rossa 2008 Cabochon Franciacorta Brut (SRP $55) Baked apple, lemon squares, yeasty, toasty nut aromas; creamy through and through with more baked apple and pear on the palate, long finish. 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Nero. DOMAINE SELECT WINE Ricci Curbastro 2009 Franciacorta Satèn Brut (SRP $42) Ripe pear, brioche, toffee and caramel on the nose; creamy mousse, flavors on palate mimic aromas underscored by stony minerality and almond notes. 100% Chardonnay, barrel-fermented. GRAPPOLI IMPORTS LTD. Montenisa NV Franciacorta Brut (SRP $37) Fine beading, creamy mousse, savory character, mushroom and earthy notes, savory herbs on the finish. Unspecified blend: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco. STE MICHELLE WINE ESTATES Barone Pizzini 2009 Franciacorta Satèn (SRP $39) Autolytic notes and sweet vanilla cream frosting aromas, bone dry, intensely creamy mousse, tart green apple and unripe pear—will soften with more aging. 100% Chardonnay. CIRCO VINO TASTING REPORT Somm Crush F or the sommelier, sense-memory is everything. And we all have those memorable "firsts" that leave a marked impression—that first date, first new car, your first sip of wine . . . and the first time experiencing a bottle of Franciacorta DOCG. These marvelous sparklers hail from Lombardy in Northern Italy and, in 1995, were the first Italian bruts to obtain DOCG status. The principal grape varieties used are Chardonnay, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) and Pinot Bianco (maximum of 50 percent)—the wines are made in the traditional method with secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle and riddling typically done by hand. According to the Consorzio per la Tutela del Franciacorta, in the last decade, vineyard surface area under vine in the DOCG has increased 140 percent—so it's no coincidence that the appearance of Franciacorta by the glass on wine lists in the U.S. is a fast-growing fad among those sommeliers in-the-know, given the sparkler's charming appeal and range of styles. The Consorzio also reports that Japan is currently the largest foreign market for Franciacorta, followed by the U.S., Germany and Switzerland, respectively. PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCIACORTA CONSORTIUM FIVE DISTINCT STYLES OF FRANCIACORTA Franciacorta Non-Vintage Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco Minimum aging: 18 months Style: un-dosed, extra brut, brut, extra dry, sec and demi-sec Franciacorta Satèn Grapes: typically 100% Chardonnay Minimum aging: 24 months (typically non-vintage) Style: brut Franciacorta Rosé Grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero (which must make up a minimum of 25 percent of blend) and Pinot Bianco Minimum aging: 24 months (typically non-vintage) Style: un-dosed, extra brut, brut, extra dry, sec and demi-sec Franciacorta Millesimato Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco Minimum aging: 30 months (a vintage wine, with a minimum of 85 percent of wine from the stated vintage) Style: un-dosed, extra brut, brut and extra dry Franciacorta Riserva: Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco Minimum aging: A Millesimato, Satèn or Rosé that has stayed on its lees for a minimum of 60 months Style: un-dosed, extra brut, brut, extra dry, sec and demi-sec. DISCOVERING THE WINES OF FRANCIACORTA DOCG by Jonathan Cristaldi

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