Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/674905
82 / the tasting panel / may 2016 SPARKING WINE I n the world of sparkling, there is one thing on which everyone agrees: The méthode champenoise—aka traditional method—is the best way to capture the essence of effervescence. Aging requirements may differ slightly, but no matter where it's made, this type of high-quality, age-worthy sparkling wine is rooted in the same fundamental technique—a second fermentation occurring in the bottle. In Trentino, Italy, this is referred to as metodo classico. The Trentodoc* law dic- tates a metodo classico wine must be made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier and/or the favored and regal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Sparkling from this small region, snuggled up next to the Dolomite Mountains just south of Italy's border with Austria, must age on lees for a minimum of 15 months for non-vintage, 24 months for vintage (millesimato) and 36 months in order to be classified as a Riserva. Regulation is also applied in the vineyard based on the traditional viticultural practices of the area, such as yield control and hand-harvesting, just to name two. There is one winery that takes these strict regulations to heart, so much so they've recently decided to phase out their non-vintage line of metodo classico and produce only vintage brut and rosé. This is Rotari, a winery owned by Trentino-based pro- ducer Mezzacorona, founded in 1904 and committed to sustainability and its own green initiative: "The Protocol for High-Quality Wine Production in Trentino." It is practices like these that have made Mezzacorona a global wine competitor, boasting a large portfolio of well-known brands, and Rotari is their crown jewel. The vineyards of Rotari in Trentino, Italy. Effervescence THE ESSENCE OF BY JESSIE BIRSCHBACH ROTARI RAISES THE STAKES AND INTRODUCES VINTAGE DESIGNATIONS