Italy's Love Affair with Sparkling Wine

BY ERIC GUIDO |&nbsp;DECEMBER 13, 2022Early on in my travels, I
realized that nearly every Italian producer I’ve tasted with admits that their
favorite vinous pleasure, aside from their wines, is Champagne. With that said,
it is hardly a surprise that this is a country that strives to create its own
sparkling wines, both from international and indigenous varieties. And I’m not
just talking about the big names of Franciacorta, Trentodoc and Alta Langa,
which have gained international recognition. The reality is that new sparkling
wines are being discovered across Italy faster than most of us can keep up
with. Each year, I find myself looking at new labels and wines from across the
boot, and of course, from Sicily and Sardinia too.

When visiting with
producers, I’ll often keep an eye open for Champagne-style bottles that might
signal the opportunity to taste. One of the most recent head-turning moments occurred
in Le Marche at the Garofoli winery with their Sparkling Verdicchio (a wine covered
in the article, <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-unrealized-potential-of-marche-nov-2022">The
Unrealized Potential of Marche</a>). Many sparkling wines are tiny productions or
passion projects that never make it out of the winery, often reserved for
friends and family. But, when I find one worth hunting for, I take no greater
satisfaction than spreading the word. Unfortunately, it’s hard to classify
these wines, as they don’t fall into a DOC or DOCG, often labeled simply as
Vino Spumante, Metodo Classico or Metodo Ancestrale (both méthode
champenoise).&nbsp;

As a result, this has
become a very producer-dependent category but possesses endless opportunities.
A few examples of standout wines that lack an “overarching designation” but made
an impact include: the Metodo Classicos from Parusso in Barolo, Le Chiuse in
Montalcino, Marco De Bartoli in Sicily and Travaglini in Gattinara.The Big Two and the Up-and-Comer Not long ago, the
conversation around Italian sparkling wine made using Metodo Classico (méthode
champenoise) would begin and end with Franciacorta. Today, however, we can add
Trentodoc and, to a lesser degree but gaining momentum, Alta Langa to that
list. All three are located in Northern Italy and share a similar recipe of
permitted varieties, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc allowed in
Franciacorta, the addition of Pinot Meunier for Trentodoc, and in Alta Langa,
simply Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The most significant differences between the
three are location and experience.&nbsp;

Franciacorta, located in the region of Lombardy, continues
to reign from a perspective of overall quality and consistency, but that’s also
where experience comes into play. If not for the hard work of its producers marketing
themselves and placing the wines in front of consumers over the past 50 years,
I’m not sure where Italy’s sparkling wines would rank in the world without that
effort, but they certainly wouldn’t be talked about as often as they are today.
As I stated last year, it is unfortunate that Champagne is the number-one
competitor for Franciacorta. The region is fighting the uphill battle of positioning
itself against over 300 years of established branding. It’s a paradox, as the
wines of Franciacorta are produced under strict guidelines with lower yields
and through the same process as Champagne. The DOCG even requires Franciacorta
to mature on the lees for no less than 18 months for non-vintage (it’s 15 months
for Champagne), 30 months for vintage and 60 months for the Riserva category
before release; and like Champagne, it is not uncommon for producers to mature
the wines significantly longer. As for the terroir, it’s an ideal growing
location with well-draining gravel and mineral-rich soils, cascading hills,
warm summers and cool nights, all moderated by the effects of Lake Iseo to the
north. While this sounds like a recipe for success, and the wines continue to
impress, Franciacorta remains underappreciated globally. Because of this, it
has become one of my favorite wines to bring to tastings and events, as the
wines often overdeliver.&nbsp;

As for Trentodoc,
located in Trentino, it was widely the global success of one large producer,
Ferrari, and their willingness to share the glory that placed this DOC on the
map and kept it moving in a positive direction. The story of Ferrari and its
Metodo Classico sparkling wines goes back nearly 200 years, when Giulio Ferrari
began planting Chardonnay due to his love of Champagne and desire to replicate
it. The good news is that the producers of the region continue to push the
limits of what’s possible here. Compared to Franciacorta, I find the wines of
Trentodoc have a wiry tension and noticeable acidity, making them the perfect
palate-cleanser but also ideal with various cuisines. Much of this has to do
with the terroir, with the cooling effects of the Dolomites to the north,
balanced warming effects of lake Garda to the south and elevations up to 900
meters. The growing area consistently benefits from warm daytime temperatures
and significant shifts at night that help to extend the growing season. Its
aging restrictions are very close to Franciacorta, requiring no less than 15 months
for non-vintage, 24 months for vintage and 36 months on the lees for the
Riserva category before release.&nbsp;

Alta Langa has only recently received international
recognition; it’s only so long before more sparkling wine drinkers begin to
look for the wines. The DOCG was created in 2011, located in the south of
Piedmont. There are several differences between Alta Langa and the aforementioned
wines (Franciacorta and Trentodoc), the first being the allowance of only
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. However, beyond that, all Alta Langa must be a
vintage-dated wine and have spent at least 30 months aging on the lees. The
growing area begins in the southern hills of Asti, and vineyards must be
planted on hillsides, starting at 250 meters in elevation. The soils here are
primarily calcareous clay marls. This is still an incredibly young growing region
and needs a true champion. However, many Piedmont producers are happy to create
their sparkling wines under the lesser Vino Spumante category to avoid the
blending restrictions of the DOCG. Only time will tell.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670944193509-EG+Sparkling+2022_Photo_covercopy.jpg">We Should All Be Drinking More Prosecco! I know it’s a statement
that probably surprises most readers. Still, the fact is that Prosecco (made
primarily from the Glera grape with up to 15% other white varieties) currently
represents one of the top quality-to-price-ratio categories of all Italian
sparkling wine. However, I’m not talking about the mass-produced bubbly tank
wines that line the shelves of local supermarkets or the door-buster specials
at your favorite wine shop. And therein lies the problem.&nbsp;

Prosecco is one of the
few categories in Italian wine where the best option for its artisan producers to
set themselves apart is by dropping the name of the DOC, which is a
double-edged sword. On the downside, the producer would then need to market
their product as an unknown Vino Spumante or Metodo Classico (depending on how
they produce the wine). Still, on the upside, they are no longer dealing with
the bigger problem, the word “Prosecco”. Granted, if you produce a sweet yet
fresh and bubbly Prosecco that falls into the $15-$20 range, there’s no issue.
However, if you prefer to try to distinguish yourself, your style and your
terroir with a wine that doesn’t fit into what the average consumer expects
from Prosecco, then it’s a tough road to travel. For these winemakers, the category
has fallen victim to its branding. The real shame in this is that a great deal
of fantastic Prosecco is being produced today that can compete with the big
names of Italian sparkling wine, but how can a consumer tell the
difference?&nbsp;

Readers willing to do a
little extra work when looking at wine labels can glean a few things from the
recent additions of crus and distinctions of location with Prosecco. The
creation of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG and its subzones was a step in
the right direction, a DOCG that makes the inclusion of the word “Prosecco” on
the label optional. Moreover, a producer can label their wine as either
Conegliano, Valdobbiadene or Cartizze (Superiore di Cartizze), depending on their
farming subzone. Taking things to a more serious level was the creation of 43 Rive,
a designation of crus from the hillsides of Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Another
stride was the addition of the Asolo DOCG. This appellation requires the word
“Prosecco” on its label and comes from a smaller, hilly area to the south of
Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Producers here have been hard at work to establish themselves by creating a more serious Prosecco, often made in an Extra Brut or Brut Nature style, or designated Sui Lieviti (meaning from a single harvest and using a secondary fermentation in bottle with aging on the lees, without disgorgement).&nbsp;

These two designations
are a great place to start for consumers looking to experience Prosecco at a
higher level. Still, many producers fall outside of these categories and become
lost in the ocean of Prosecco that can be made throughout central to
northeastern Veneto and in all of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.&nbsp;

It pays to look through
the following notes to find these wines because many of them will give readers
a total paradigm shift and a new understanding of what Prosecco is capable of.
The best part is that the wines are almost always significantly better priced than
expected. There’s nothing quite like placing a Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature
Prosecco into a blind tasting of sparkling wines from around the world and then
watching jaws drop at the unveiling.&nbsp;A Short Description of The Terms Lastly, just as a guide
to those new to the terms that describe the level of sweetness in sparkling
wine, I’m including the following, but keep in mind that the balance of sugar to
acidity can play tricks on the mind. For example, one of the most popular
categories of Champagne is “Brut”, which can contain up to 12 grams of residual
sugar, yet hardly shows it. Moreover, one of Prosecco’s most pleasurable and
balanced expressions is often found in the Extra Dry category, which contains
around 12-17 grams of residual sugar.&nbsp;

Brut Nature, Pas Dosé
and Zero Dosage: Less than 3 grams of
residual sugar per liter.

Extra Brut: Between 0-6 grams of residual sugar per liter.

Brut: Less than 12 grams of residual sugar per
liter.

Extra Dry: Between 12-17 grams of residual sugar per
liter.

Dry: Between 17-32 grams of residual sugar per
liter.

Demi-Sec: Between 32-50 grams of residual sugar per
liter.

I tasted all the wines
for this report in our offices in New York City between October and November of
2022.© 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<div><hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-unrealized-potential-of-marche-nov-2022">The Unrealized Potential of Marche</a>, Eric Guido, November 2022<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-sparkling-wine-paradox-dec-2021">Italy’s Sparkling Wine Paradox</a>, Eric Guido, December 2021 <div><div></div></div><div><div><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-sparkling-advantage-prosecco-and-franciacorta-dec-2020">Italy’s Sparkling Advantage: Prosecco and Franciacorta</a>, Eric Guido, December 2020 </div></div></div>

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