Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/807384
april 2017 / the tasting panel / 1 13 A s Millennials continue to explore the world of wine with an ever more open mind, Italian winery Mezzacorona has created a "next step" sparkling wine that appeals to their insatiable curiosity—and their search for wines that can be enjoyed anytime, every day. The cutting-edge Trentino-based winery has been produc- ing still wines since 1904. Now, eager to further expand its relationship with today's Millennial consumer, Mezzacorona debuts Mezza di Mezzacorona (SRP 14.99), the new Italian Glacial Bubbly—a first-of-its-kind designation—from the beautiful Dolomite mountains in the Trentino Alto Adige region of northern Italy. This innovative and "anti-self-important, special occasion" wine, Mezza (Italian for "half" or "intermission") was espe- cially created and styled for all of those times in between— after a busy day at work but before a relaxing dinner, after a leisurely brunch but before those must-do errands, after an exciting first half of the game but before the rousing finale. This fresh, lively and aromatic sparkling wine consists of 60 percent Chardonnay, 30 percent Pinot Bianco and 10 per- cent Müller-Thurgau. This unique blend of higher-altitude estate-grown grapes results in a wine of elevated aromatics and a refreshing acidity, elegant texture and lengthy finish. The Mezzacorona estate vineyards, planted between 400 and 600 meters above sea level, cover the Dolomite hillsides just north of the city of Trento, and the wine displays the charac- teristic rocky minerality of the region. Hand-harvested, the grapes undergo a slow, cool primary fermentation before resting on the lees for four to six months. At just 12 percent alcohol, Mezza di Mezzacorona invites anytime enjoyment. The easy-drinking sparkler also comes in chic, design-rich moda Italiano packaging, reminiscent of its home in the Italian Alps. "It's a wine that delivers il momento Italiano—the moment where people laugh, enjoy and relax," says Mezzacorona winemaker Lucio Matricardi. This inviting bubbly boasts ideally ripe fruit and covers the full flavor spectrum, including stone fruits, orchards fruits and tropical fruits. Peaches, apples and melons are knitted in with a stony minerality and a medium body, wrapped in a fine mousse—something to be sipped easily without requir- ing a special reason. From the appeal of its crisp anytime-of-day taste to the allure of its eye-catching contemporary packag- ing and lifestyle-oriented brand messaging, Mezza di Mezzacorona is geared to find an immediate and secure place in the modern Millennial market. According to Rusty Pape, Senior Vice President of Prestige Wine Imports, U.S. importer for Gruppo Mezzacorona, the new label has identified a way to elegantly "speak sparkling wine" to Millennials. "Italian Glacial Bubbly is the conversation wait- ing to happen in the Millennial market," says Pape. "Mezza di Mezzacorona finds its place in the moments where these consumers want their wine to be." Millennial wine buyers finally have a sparkling wine that speaks their own language. And it seems to be Italian. "Mezza di Mezzacorona is a wine that delivers il momento Italiano—the moment where people laugh, enjoy and relax," says Mezzacorona winemaker Lucio Matricardi. PHOTO: VENCAVOLRAB VIA THINKSTOCK PHOTO COURTESY OF MEZZACORONA "Italian Glacial Bubbly is the conversation waiting to happen in the Millennial market." Peaches, apples and melons overlie a stony minerality with a fine mousse and a medium body— something to be sipped easily for any occasion.