Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/818616
may 2017 / the tasting panel / 57 P ristine is the word that comes to mind whenever I envision the pergola-studded vineyards that terrace the foothills of the majestic, snowcapped Dolomites in northern Italy. This splendid, fairytale- like terroir is responsible for the essence of the delightfully vibrant, versatile and sophisticated TrentoDOC* metodo classico vintage sparkling wines from Rotari. True, France's regal Champagne houses codified global standards for méthode champenoise (aka traditional method or metodo classico), the tech- nique of inducing a second fermentation in the bottle to create a sparkling wine. But it is Rotari—owned by Trentino-based producer Mezzacorona—that has raised the stakes in Italy, adopting stricter protocols, substantially investing in new technology and a state-of-the-art winery, and introducing integrated farming and sustainable winemaking practices. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEZZACORONA "Our delicate mousse is obtained by aging on the lees after secondary fer- mentation," Winemaker Lucio Matricardi explains, referring to Rotari's signature fine bead of bubbles. "This is a bench- mark of our wine, and it makes Rotari unique among Italian sparkling wines." ROTARI HOW ONE ITALIAN WINERY IS ELEVATING METODO CLASSICO TO NEW HEIGHTS by Cliff Rames