A Distinctive Duo Of Italian Sparkling Wines #ItalianFWT

The theme this month’s Italian Food, Wine and Travel (#ItalianFWT) group of food and wine writers is Italian Sparkling Wines.  Check out my invitation post for a quick overview of Italian Sparkling wines, but I think the main thing you should know about Italian sparkling wines is that they are as diverse as Italian cuisine.

To underscore my point about the diversity of Italian sparkling wines, I chose a couple of lesser known, albeit distinctive sparkling wines from under the radar, for sparkling wine for sparkling wines at least, regions in Northern Italy – a 100% Sparkling Ribolla Gialla from IGT delle Venezie in Northeast Italy and a  Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro from Emilia-Romagna.

For more information about Italian sparkling wines, and food pairings,  be sure to check out what my fellow Italian Food, Wine and Travel writers have discovered below.

 i Clivi Ribolla Gialla Bianco RBL

I Clivi, founded by Ferdinando Zanusso, is small producer with vineyards in the two best zones of Friuli, Colli Orientali del Fruili and Collio, both very close to the border with Slovenia in far NE Italy. Their winemaking philosophy includes organic cultivation in the vineyard, with naturally low yields which seldom reach 20 hectolitres per hectare, and spontaneous, non-interventionist winemaking.  They only work with indigenous varieties (and a tiny amount of Merlot) including  Ribolla Gialla, Friulano (formerly known as Tocai Friulano), Malvasia Istriana,  and Verduzzo (in dry form, which is unusual).

This sparkling wine is not made by either of the normal methods used to make dry sparkling wine, but rather by the method used to make Moscato d’Asti, which involves putting must into the special fermentation tank, and fermenting all the way from grape-juice to sparkling wine in one step. The wine is then aged in the tank on the lees until judged to be done, then decanted off the lees and bottled.  The benefits from doing it this way, rather than by fermenting once to make white wine, then a second time to make sparkling wine, are preservation of aroma, and reduction in alcohol according to importer Oliver McCrum.
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i Clivi RBL Sparkling Ribolla Gialla paired with Clam Linguine

My tasting notes follow:

i Clivi Ribolla Gialla Bianco RBL – Italy, Delle Venezie
Color – Very pale green, almost clear as water
Aroma – Toasted brioche, green apple, pear, lemon zest white flowers and almond
Body – Light-bodied, very dry, crisp and very refreshing with a moderately creamy mousse
Taste – Green apple, ginger ale, lemon zest, and almond with appetizing minerally, savory notes
Finish – Medium

11% abv | SRP – $29.99|This is distinctive, minerally wine that very appetizing and therefore perfect as an aperitif.  It paired well with Clam Linguine.

2017 Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Secco 

Lambrusco is both a red wine grape and a slightly fizzy (“frizzante’) Italian wine made principally from that grape.  There are over 60 varieties of Lambrusco grapes, though most Lambrusco wines tend to be blends of several varieties.   Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvertro is fuller-bodied and higher in alcohol than other Lambrusco wines, it is also more tannic – Grasparossa has the highest tannin count of the Lambrusco varieties.

Seeking a dry, crisp and savory wine that pairs with just about any dish on the planet and makes an excellent apéritif? Look for Lambrusco. Yes, Lambrusco. – Kerin O’keefe,  Italian Editor for Wine Enthusiast

According to Grape Collective, “Fattoria Moretto was founded in 1971 by Domenico Altariva. Originally the estate was more of a hobby with wine being sold in bulk mostly to friends. The estate is currently run by his sons Fabio and Fausto who pushed the business forward by building a new winery and bottling the wine themselves. Although the winery used natural methods since its inception it achieved official organic certification in 1997.  The vineyards of Fattoria Moretto are located in the heart of the hills of Castelvetro, near the town of Modena. The silt and clay soil produces fresh, mineral wines. The Altarivas also choose to highlight the local grape Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro by vinifying it alone, resulting in an intense, terroir-driven Lambrusco”.

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We paired the Moretto with wood fired pizza!

My tasting notes follow:

2017 Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Secco – Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
Color – Inky violet
Aromas – Black and red fruit, dried herb, crushed violets and a bit of wet stone
Body – Medium-bodied, with lively tangy acidity. This wine is frizzante with a lovely creamy mouthfeel, and gentle tannins.
Taste – Blackberry, black cherry, and tart strawberries with an appealing minerality
Finish – Medium+ with a pleasant bitterness

100% Lambrusco Grasparossa (certified organic)|11.5% abv| SRP – $19.95| This wine is an outstanding example of artisanal Lambrusco at its best.  It’ delicious, and food friendly.   I’m looking forward to enjoying this wine with a burger soon!

Both  of these distinctive wines, are ones I would happily purchase again (I’ve already purchased two bottles of the Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco)

Check out what my fellow #ItalianFWT wine and food writers discovered about Italian sparkling wines!

If you’re up early enough, please join our chat on Twitter.   We love visitors and happily chat and answer questions. Simply follow the  #italianfwt hashtag on Twitter this Saturday, December 1st at 11am ET/8am PT to join the conversation!

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6 Comments

  1. culinarycam says:

    On the hunt for that Lambrusco now. Wow! You had me at ‘burger’ pairing. Thanks for hosting, Martin.

  2. I especially love Lambrusco with some nice charcuterie or some Parmigiano Reggiano!

  3. Lynn says:

    Haven’t had much Lambrusco. The last one was a blend of Sorbara, Salamino, and Grasparossa from large producer and amabile. I’ll look for this Moretto on my upcoming US trip. Thanks for hosting Martin!

  4. Thanks for hosting such a thought-provoking chat: I’ve learned so much about Italian sparkling wine! I hope I will be able to find a few of the more obscure bottles at my local Italian wine shop. Cheers Martin!

  5. Nicole Ruiz Hudson says:

    I love Lambrusco. When we super exhausted and jetlagged our first night in Italy, it was a cold bottle of Lambrusco we ordered to revive us! And that Ribolla just sounds incredibly captivating!

Comments are closed.