The Tasting Panel magazine

September 2017

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september 2017  /  the tasting panel  /  81 But when "everyday" is misconstrued as "cheap," a teachable moment presents itself. "The DOCG in Prosecco actually means something," says Santa Margherita USA Marketing Manager Kristina Sazama. The wine-growing Italian region of Valdobbiadene—famed for its Prosecco— in particular boasts "steep slopes and a little limestone" for wine that's "more savory and saline on the palate" than entry-level DOC Prosecco. To target consumers who "don't really understand why they should pay more" for what they consider is mainly a base for Mimosas, Santa Margherita is relaunching its Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore with chic new packaging "that really sells the quality," Perez-Carlotto says. The same goes for its Brut Rosé— pink wine being another fast-growing, but perhaps undervalued, category. The new bottle elements pay tribute to the illustrious history of the winery's founding Marzotto family. The crest on the attractively-draped necktie, for instance, stems from what Perez-Carlotto calls "its long history in the fabric and fashion industries." The front label—a small circle rather than a band to showcase the juice first and foremost— boasts a mosaic-like pattern evoking Venetian design in a nod to the family's regional roots. The image of their villa at its center is smartly replicated on the cap beneath the foil. And then there are the luxuri- ous flashes of gold that grace the bottle containing an entirely new Santa Margherita sparkler: Rive di Refrontolo. Encompassing 43 pre-Alpine vineyards in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene zone where higher elevations and larger diurnal shifts contribute to acid-driven freshness, "Rive" denotes an emerging premium subcategory of Prosecco that Sazama says puts "an even more fine point on the terroir." Initial distribution is limited to just 2,400 bottles across ten markets. Perez- Carlotto says the company is working "on-premise only with somms who truly understand the product and how to sell it to the right customers." Would those customers perhaps include Millennials, as they begin "looking to elevate their palates" beyond those bottomless brunchtime Mimosas? Now that would be a moment worth celebrating. Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG "Rive di Refrontolo" Brut sends up a tickle of bubbles on the nose and palate, sparked by soft white peach, Asian pear and cassia flower. A hint of salinity seasons the stone fruit and the slightly chalky finish is refreshing and dry. 92 Tasting Notes from Publisher/Editorial Director Meridith May Santa Margherita Brut Rosé Vino Spumante ushers in soft, bouncy bubbles with aromas of white tea and gardenia. As they melt across the palate, the bubbles burst with red berries and summer plum, with a hint of jasmine. Lively and delicate with a dry finish, for an overall balanced impression. 92

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