The SOMM Journal

August / September 2016

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70 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 WINEMAKER LUCIO MATRICARDI CHAMPIONS THE METODO CLASSICO IN TRENTODOC AND SEEKS TO ALTER OUR PRECONCEPTIONS OF SPARKLING WINE by Karen Moneymaker LUCIO MATRICARDI, PH.D., HAS SOME PRETTY SOLID ADVICE WHEN CHOOS- ing a sparkling wine to enjoy. "Every region has its own style, but avoid drinking stereo- types. Some people don't choose wines based on quality or provenance, they drink a name." Indeed, with the influx of sparkling wine from around the world flooding the U.S. market, Matricardi—the dynamo winemaker behind the Trentodoc sparkling wine house Rotari—brings up a great point: In a sea of bubbles, how do you find authenticity? While Matricardi might be a little biased towards his Rotari wines, it is for a good reason. Rotari, produces superbly delicate, aromatic and complex sparkling wines, using the metodo classico technique, which includes secondary fermentation in the bottle, dos - age, riddling and extended aging on lees (Rotari ages its Brut and Rosé on the lees for a minimum of 24 months instead of the 15 months required by DOC regulation). The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes used for Rotari's production are hand-harvested from vineyards grown in the traditional double pergola system of Trentino, rigorously controlled for small yields and with a strict eye to sustainable vineyard management. The wines are aged an additional three years in bottle before going to market. Matricardi—who was born in Abruzzo, and began his career in agricultural research at the University of Bologna, followed by a Ph.D. in viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis, before returning to Italy to joining the Rotari team in Trento— encourages us to look beyond the label when making our sparkling wine selections. The Rebel of Rotari The state of the art Rotari winery, nestled in the heart of the Dolomites in Trentino. Rotari's winemaker, Lucio Matricardi, Ph.D. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROTARI PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROTARI

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