Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/913027
{ SOMMjournal.com } 51 { { off the upscale packaging. The hard-to-find Car tizze, which some call the "Grand Cru" of Prosecco, is a must try. Alessio Del Salvio, Head Winemaker for Mionetto, has been with the winery for the last 17 years. He recently led an amazing tasting at San Francisco's Hotel Vitale, bring - ing out a new wine called Valdobbiadene Millesimato 2016 Cuvée Anniversario. The "wow factor" of this Prosecco was imme - diately apparent; with its preternatural texture and seemingly-everlasting finish, it was unlike any I have ever tried. This is a ridiculously well-made wine from grapes sourced across three family growers who have provided grapes to Mionetto for 130 years. Del Salvio explained that he created this marque to pay homage to Mionetto's heritage, and that the wine reflected how he imagined Prosecco was produced back then with no access to sugar. Attending sommelier Mark Guillaudeu from Oakland's Commis told me he will feature this wine in a pairing, as will Kelly Sullivan from Jackson Fillmore in San Francisco after she fell in love with this small-production gem. Northern California will be lucky to get 40 six-packs. I couldn't stop thinking about how amaz - ing that wine tasted, so I asked Del Salvio what secrets were behind the making of the 130th Anniversary bottle. "Everything happens in the vineyard but our growers are the best in the area," he responded. "Some vines are 25–30 years and the key is sustainable farming, combined with pneumatic presses, impeccable yeast, and low-temperature fermentation." Mionetto is among the most recognizable pioneers for Prosecco in the U.S., and thanks to Ceola, the brand has been continually growing in both sales and reputation stateside since 1997. As we tasted Mionetto's orange label wine at Hotel Vitale's highly-acclaimed Americano restaurant—a long-time sup - porter of Mionetto by the glass—we all agreed how superbly it paired with Chef Josh Perez's food. Prosecco is a great apéritif, superb in mimosas, and complements a wide variety of foods; it also ventures far beyond its usual territory as a great celebration wine while being quite affordable. I believe Del Salvio has launched a new trend in Prosecco with his no-dosage bottling—I hope you get to taste it sometime. All the best for the holidays, Kim Beto From left to right, Kim Beto, Alessio Del Salvio, and Enore Ceola enjoy Mionetto with a rooftop view of the Presidio from Hotel Vitale. DID YOU KNOW? Sergio Mionetto, grandson of Mionetto's founder, was the first to introduce the Charmat technique to the Prosecco region after World War II. Until then, Prosecco was made using the méthode champenoise (secondary fermentation in bottles). Unlike Champagne's Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, or Pinot Noir, the delicate Glera grape lacked improvement with bottle aging but rapidly lost quality within a few months. The Charmat method, by contrast, extends the wine's freshness and fruity personality.