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The Best Cheap Champagne Isn’t Called “Champagne”

We all love Champagne. We all need Champagne. That being said, the best cheap Champagne might not actually be called Champagne at all.

Let’s explore a few great alternatives to Champagne.

• Wines include Cava, Crémant, and Metodo Classico (to name a few).
• They’re made with the same winemaking process as Champagne.
• Since they’re not from the Champagne region, they’re more affordable.

Of course, not all sparkling wines are made equally, so it’s possible to go wrong when you branch out. Thus, if you’re looking for wines with similar quality to NV (non-vintage) Champagne, be sure to keep the wines below on your radar!

Cava from Spain

Look for Cava with “Reserva” or “Gran Reserva” on the label for great quality.

Cava is an official designation for sparkling wines from Spain. While there’s a lot of cheaply-made Cava out in the market, there are also terrific values to be had. For great quality, seek out wines that are labelled Reserva, Gran Reserva, or the rare Paraje Calificado.

Look for these official seals on a bottle of Cava.

The reason why these Cava terms are useful to know is because Spain has strict aging requirements that are very similar to Champagne. Plus, if you’re looking for Cava’s most exclusive tier, the Paraje Calificado is a single-vineyard classification.

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Crémant from France

Exquisite choices to seek out are Crémant de Loire and Crémant de Limoux.

The crazy secret about France is that there are other sparkling wine regions producing great bubbly outside of Champagne.

• Crémant de Loire This delightful find is often produced with Chenin Blanc grapes. Often they make a Cabernet Franc, which results in a beautiful salmon-hued rosé.
• Crémant de Limoux Found in the Southern part of France in granite hills, Limoux produces stupendous sparklers with Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Rumor has it that this region inspired Dom Perignon to reintroduce the sparkling wine process to Champagne.
• Crémant de Bourgogne This region borders Champagne. It’s right next door! So, the secret to Crémant de Bourgogne are the label terms of “Eminent” and “Grand Eminent,” which indicate extended aging.

Look for these label clues for quality on a bottle of Crémant de Bourgogne.

Crémant is a fantastic value and it’s French (well, mostly!). If you’re curious to learn more, check out this awesome article exploring the different Crémant wines of the world.

Why the best cheap Champagne isn’t from Champagne at all…

The name “Champagne” is a protected designation for wines from a small region northeast of Paris. Champagne is an amazing wine region, but because it’s so famous, the prices start high. Most of us can expect to spend upwards of $40 a bottle for a basic, entry-level Champagne.

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Metodo Classico from Italy

Italy’s version of “Champagne” includes wines like Franciacorta and Trento.

The traditional Champagne winemaking method is considered to be the benchmark method for sparkling wines. In Italy, wines made with this method are labeled as “Metodo Classico” and there are a few regions known for this style.

• Franciacorta About an hour’s drive from Milan, this region produces exceptional sparkling wines with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir. Look for the Millesimato or Riserva bottles for the wines that are aged as long as the finest vintage Champagne.
• Trento This region is an alpine valley which happens to specialize in sparkling Chardonnay! Ironically, though, the largest producer here is named after an Italian sports car.
• Oltrepo Pavese A Pinot Noir hotspot producing fruity rosé and heady blanc de noirs bubbles. Look for Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG for the real deal.

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New World Sparkling Wines

Look for sparklers from cooler coastal regions with a history of great quality.

The secret to great sparkling wines starts with great grapes. Traditionally, Champagne calls for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. What you might not know is that these grapes (and other sparkling wine grapes) prefer cooler climates to produce their high acidity.

So, if you look around the world at different wine regions, you’ll see a trend showing that cooler climate areas produce great sparkling wines!

• South Africa Cap Classique The coastal growing regions in the Cape produce outstanding Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay bubbly under a producer’s association called Cap Classique. Each year they hold a challenge to find the new best bubbly. Here’s a list of last year’s winners.
• United States Yes, you can find great sparkling wines in California in the cooler spots of Napa and Sonoma. Most of them cost upwards of $25-$30 per bottle. But, what will really blow your mind is this cheap-yet-delicious stuff they’re making in New Mexico. Now that’s value!
• Tasmania There’s one winery exporting sparkling wines named after the explorer who “found” Tasmania. Actually, it’s delicious and Jans made the hot list of wines for the holidays.
• England The English finally have something great to show off. English sparkling wine is truly incredible juice that meets or beats the quality of Champagne. But, since it costs the same, you might as well just buy Champagne.

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The Best Cheap Champagne For Reals?

If you’re still determined to buy Champagne, we can’t hold that against you. There’s something sour, cheesy, creamy, and funky about great Champagne that makes it truly unique.

That being said, the entire countryside of the region is overrun by large brands that very much control the marketplace of Champagne. Buying cheap Champagne helps sustain that system, which is stacked against the little guy.

So instead, try digging into this stuff called “grower Champagne.” Very simply, it’s a Champagne that’s made by the grape grower. We have this awesome article all about Champagne, and you can learn more about picking the right stuff for your taste.

Portugal’s Wine Regions

Get to know the regions and the wines of Portugal on this illustrated map.

About Madeline Puckette

James Beard Award-winning author and Wine Communicator of the Year. I co-founded Wine Folly to help people learn about wine. @WineFolly

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10 Things You Should Know About Martini & Rossi

words: Tim McKirdy

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If it wasn’t already the name of an iconic cocktail, one could easily argue a case for using the words Martini and vermouth interchangeably. By quite some margin, the Turin-based brand sells more vermouth than any other in the world.

According to data from the International Wines and Spirits Record (IWSR), in 2017, Martini & Rossi accounted for more than 45 percent of the global vermouth market. Its closest competitor has a 7 percent market share. The brand also leads vermouth sales in the U.S., owning 30 percent of the market.

Here are 10 more things you should know about the world’s most popular vermouth brand.

Martini & Rossi is named after a wine merchant and a master blender.

Founded as a vermouth distillery called Distilleria Nazionale di Spirito di Vino in the mid-1800s, the brand came to be known as Martini & Rossi after it was bought by employees Alessandro Martini (a former wine merchant) and Luigi Rossi (a master blender) in 1879. The Rossi family maintained full control of the brand until 1993, when it merged with Bacardí.

What came first: Martini or the Martini?

Whether you prefer it with gin or vodka, you can’t make a Martini without dry vermouth. (Unless you’re Winston Churchill, of course.) Some sources claim the famous cocktail gets its name from the name Martini & Rossi. Others disagree, and say that the cocktail’s name and recipe are an evolution of the Martinez, the cocktail invented around the same time at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco.

If you like other classic cocktails, Martin & Rossi has you covered.

If you’re not a fan of “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet” (as H. L. Mencken once described the Martini), Martin & Rossi also has a sweet red vermouth, an ingredient in the Manhattan. In 2015, the brand launched its Riserve Speciale bitter, which can replace Campari in a Negroni or Americano. Combined with bourbon, the sweet vermouth and amaro create the classic Boulevardier.

If you prefer bubbles, the brand has also got your back.

For those who prefer their libations at a slightly lower ABV with bubbles, Martini & Rossi makes a range of sparkling wines. The most famous is its Asti, which features Piedmontese Moscato Bianco grapes. This style can be a little sweet for some palates; fortunately, the company also makes Brut, Rosé Extra Brut, and Riesling.

The logo is a mystery.

Martini’s instantly recognizable ball and bar logo was filed as a trademark in Italy in 1929, and later internationally. Past that, little is known about who is responsible for the design or why the brand opted to change from its original logo. One theory is the design was inspired by the sun setting behind a Martini sign.

Martini & Rossi is a speed addict.

For nearly a century, Martini & Rossi has partnered with a number of professional sports, from cycling to basketball, golf, sailing and motor racing. In 1968, the brand launched the Martini Racing Team, which quickly became a major player in Formula 1. Between 2014 and 2018, Martini was the title sponsor of Williams F1. The race car featured the brand’s signature colors

Martini & Rossi makes iconic commercials.

For as long as television has been popular in Italy, Martini & Rossi has aired iconic commercials. Notable examples included a collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana, a pre-famous Charlize Theron, and George Clooney using a very peculiar part of an ice-sculptured bull to chill down his aperitivo.

Martini & Rossi looks out for bartenders’ health.

In 2018, to celebrate 50 years of Martini Racing, the brand launched a cycling program called Martini Racing Ciclismo. The program was designed to promote health and fitness for bartenders by providing a platform for them to train together. It culminated in a three-day charity cycle, and is set to return in 2019.

Its vermouths have secret recipes.

Master herbalist Ivano Tonutti (great job title, by the way) samples more than 500 botanicals per year to ensure only the highest quality ingredients make it into the Martini blend. Along with master blender Giuseppe “Beppe” Musso, Tonutti is the only person who knows the secret recipes for the brand’s vermouths. (There are also copies kept under lock and key, just in case.)

Even the wormwoods are blended.

To comply with E.U. law, vermouth must contain artemisia (wormwood). This ingredient provides the strong, bitter, appetite-stimulating flavor that characterizes aperitivo beverages. Virtually all vermouth brands use just one variety in their recipes, but, for its Riserve Speciale range, Martin & Rossi includes three different types: Pontica, Vulgaris, and Absinthium.

Published: May 17, 2019

How to pair wine with pizza

Pizza is one of the world’s most versatile and glorious culinary creations, but where do you start with so many toppings? Here are a few pointers on styles to look for.

 

Chris Mercer

Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/how-to-pair-wine-with-pizza-413465/#yvhLLFCA3UeiC0Ow.99

Wine with pizza: all-rounders

Barbera | Gamay | Medium-bodied rosé | Sangiovese | Frappato | Fresh dry whites | Nero d’Avola

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Search Decanter’s expert wine reviews here

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For a classic, wood-fired Napoletana pizza with tomato, mozzarella and simple toppings then think about a wine with good acidity and lots of bright fruit that will balance nicely against the acidity of the tomato.

If you’re keen to go for Italian reds, then that could be Barbera d’Asti, light styles of Sangiovese or even Frappato from Sicily, but you could also consider Beaujolais Cru.

Pizza sets a relaxed tone and pairings can work best if you pick a wine ‘that isn’t trying too hard’, according to Helen Johannesen, a sommelier who runs the ‘Helen’s’ wine shop joined to popular Los Angeles pizza emporium Jon & Vinny’s.

‘I love pairing lighter reds like Gamay, rosé made from interesting varietals like Montepulciano, and even skin-contact wines (aka orange wines),’ she told Decanter.com.

‘Obviously you can ball out with some killer Barolo or lusciously rustic Rosso di Montepulciano, but I think the ease and comfort might be lost.’

If you go for wines that are too heavy, dark and brooding then the tannins can clash with the acidity levels in the tomato sauce, leaving a metallic taste in the mouth – as Matthieu Longuère MS points out in his Decanter article on matching red wine and fish.

Pepperoni pizza

That said, a spicier topping such as pepperoni will dominate the pizza’s flavour and may be able to handle a wine with a bit more attitude.

You could go up to a Syrah or Syrah/Grenache blend to match the intensity of peppery flavours, but watch out for too much tannin and oak.

Fruit-driven styles of Nero d’Avola from Sicily have become a mainstay on several pizzeria wine lists in the UK and have the weight to pair with meat-based pizzas – although some poorer-made examples can lack balance, especially if served too warm.

Pineapple

Adding pineapple to pizza is a controversial topic, as Iceland’s president discovered in 2017, but if you’re a fan then think about wines with good acidity and some sweetness, but only a touch; it’s more about off-dry Riesling than Sauternes.

White pizza with ricotta or mushroom

White pizzas change the nature of the pairing, because the acidity of the tomato is no longer such an issue.

‘I love having our ‘white lightning’ pizza, with pickled jalapeños & ricotta, with white wines grown in the volcanic soils of Sicily or Campagna,’ said Johannesen.

‘My favourite pizza we make is the ‘super shroom’, that is a mushroom pie highlighted by rachera cheese. It’s drops a slightly funky beat, begging for some high acid Carignan or Zinfandel, or even a pet nat rosé with a tiny touch of residual sugar.’

Lots of Garlic

Garlic can be another very strong flavour and if you’re combining this with basil, then try experimenting with skin-contact white wines, such as those made from Vermentino, which would ordinarily match up well with green pesto.

With so many toppings involved, then you might also like to refresh yourself on Karen McNeil’s 10 rules of food and wine pairing.

Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/how-to-pair-wine-with-pizza-413465/#yvhLLFCA3UeiC0Ow.99

Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/how-to-pair-wine-with-pizza-413465/#yvhLLFCA3UeiC0Ow.99

This Italian City Will Give You Free Beer and Ice Cream For Riding Your Bike

Produced by Tim McKirdy / @timmckirdy

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Photo Credit: frantsev / Shutterstock.com

After a long, hard bike ride, there’s nothing like rewarding yourself with a refreshing beer or ice cream. But wouldn’t it be even better if someone else were paying?According to the BBC, the Northern Italian city of Bologna will give you free beer, ice cream, or movie tickets as a reward for using sustainable forms of transport.

The perks come as part of a program called Bella Mossa (“Good Job”), initiated by Urban Planner Marco Amadori. The program utilizes the Better Points app, where users are rewarded with points each time they make a journey by bike, public transport, or by foot. They can then exchange their points for a freebie of their choice at participating local businesses.

Points are rewarded on a per journey basis, rather than for distance covered. The app uses GPS tracking to make sure people aren’t cheating, and there’s a four journey daily limit to encourage users to keep using the app over time. Around eight journeys are required to claim something like an ice cream, the BBC says.

Bella Mossa runs from April through September, so you’ll need to wait until next year if you want to rack up points during a Bologna vacation. With free beer and cycling, we can’t think of a better a summer getaway.

Published: October 30, 2018

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Cycling in Tuscany: Exploring Chianti country by bike

• Decanter Staff

Touring by bicycle is an ideal way to explore Chianti country. Gregor Brown of Cycling Weekly recommends an itinerary – and the best places to stop off for authentic food and wine

In partnership with The Platinum Card® from American Express®.

Credit: Jesse Wild / Alamy

Cypress trees lining rolling hills, fresh pasta served with ragu di cinghiale (wild boar stew) and deep red wines flowing – what’s not to love about a cycling tour through Tuscany? Italy, and more precisely Tuscany, is like a trip to Mecca for the cycling, food and wine faithful. Nowhere else can you find such a mix of history, food and – what everyone needs on a holiday – a take-it-easy attitude.

A bicycle tour provides the best way to connect the dots because those two wheels changed the country. They helped locals to build a nation in the Industrial era. Once known only locally, Sangiovese wines spread throughout Italy with the help of the bicycle, then on to Europe and eventually the world.

On the bike, you can stop and put your foot down to smell the warm Tyrrhenian breeze blowing over rows of vines or spot a local to ask: ‘Dov’è un buon trattoria qua vicino?’ (‘Where is there a good restaurant nearby?’)

Getting started

Florence, known as the cradle of the Renaissance, offers a good base with its endless museums and monuments to visit. Florence by Bike rents bicycles for those who need them and if you want a guide, contact Riding with Cosimo.

The truly cycle-minded must visit Filofficina and its Eroica vintage bikes on the south side of town. Stay there for the day, finding a local bar to tuck into Brunello and porchetta cold cuts.

One popular restaurant in this artisan Oltrarno zone is Il Santo Bevitore where, judging by the ‘holy drinker’ name, wine-lovers are served well. Book one or two days ahead to ensure you have a spot. If ribollita – a Tuscan vegetable and bread soup – is not your thing then consider any dish with a lampredotto (tripe) sauce, for those who like adventure, or the famous bistecca Fiorentina (a healthy loin steak, served rare to medium-rare).

image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/06/bistecca-Fiorentina-630×417.png

Steak at Bistecca Fiorentina

From Florence

The rolling hills south of Florence towards Siena flow like a sea of green and golden waves. A challenging hill rewards you with a breathtaking view and descent to another wine valley.

Ride south through Impruneta. Depending on your abilities, you could either go up through La Panca to Passo de Sugame then down to Greve or through Chiocchio to Greve. In Panzano, you’ll be rewarded with a couple of great restaurants. If you haven’t indulged in a Fiorentina steak yet, now is your chance at the Officina Della Bistecca. To start, share a carpaccio di culo and a bottle of Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico.

Back-track down the road to Lamole and turn up to Vignamaggio to stay for the night or if the steak gave you extra strength, push on to Radda. From Radda, you can decide to make it a two- or three-day tour. Given the extra day, you can ride a loop around the Radda countryside. Cycle out towards Badia a Coltibuono, turning first to descend then climb to Castello di Brolio. A tour of the castle’s gardens is a must with its wine tasting included.

Around Radda

Ride on to Carlino d’Oro (+39 0577 747 136), a simple and honest Tuscan trattoria with views of the rolling countryside. Pair a plate of tagliatelle and ragu with Brolio wine. Dessert? The spectacular road down through San Regalo towards Pianella. At the main road, turn right and climb back through Gaiole to reach Radda.

Villa Campomaggio Resort & Spa in Radda offers a perfect base for your trip. Its bar serves the best wines from the Val d’Arbia and Val di Pesa to accompany a light dinner.

Travel north on the third day via Castellina and the hilltop town of San Donato in Poggio. Just before San Donato, you can stop at one of the many wineries that offer tastings and have restaurants. Try Casa Emma, which is surrounded by Sangiovese and Merlot vines. Then continue through to San Casciano to reach Florence. Once there take a seat outside a bar and reflect on the day. Perhaps ask the owner for a dinner recommendation; chances are there is an authentic trattoria nearby.

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Gregor Brown is based in Florence, writes for Cycling Weekly and covers major cycling races including the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France

Read more at https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/american-express/cycling-in-tuscany-395622/#HX4vxggQecmvVWIv.99

 

The Best Italian Red Wines for Beginners

With estimates of between 500 and 600 grape varieties grown in Italy, it’s tricky to distill this iconic wine-soaked peninsula into basic baby sips.

If you start at the Italian boot and drill down, you’ll find a land of incredible wine growing diversity.

From the Alps in the north to the Apennine mountain range, functioning as Italy’s backbone running north to south, and the Mediterranean Sea cheerfully surrounding the country with its buffering influence on weather patterns, Italy is a grape grower’s dream.

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Consider tasting one these eight red wine varieties as your first foray into Italian wine.

Best Italian Red Wines for Beginners

Italy’s best red wines for beginners tend to share three common characteristics:

1. they are bold in flavor intensity
2. they lean heavily into familiar fruit flavors and aromas
3. they can typically be found for under $20 a bottle

We’ve rounded up a short starter guide of Italian wines you must try – top to bottom, and east to west.

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Nero d’Avola

If Italy is the boot, Sicily is the soccer ball about to be launched. Sitting on the tip of Italy’s toe, Sicily is the largest of the Mediterranean islands. As Sicily’s rockstar red grape, Nero d’Avola’s fruity nature brings plenty of bright red cherry, tart blackberry, and peppery spice to the glass.

A heady combination of fruit meets structure, showing zippy acidity and moderate alcohol levels. Nero d’Avola promises to mellow out with a bit of time in the glass (or decanter) and partner up incredibly well with juicy bison burgers, Mom’s lasagna, or your local meat lover’s pizza. Easy to drink, and even easier on the wallet – expect to shell out $10-20 for a bottle of snappy Sicilian adventure.

Affordable Example: Cusumano Nero d’Avola (Sicily)

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Montepulciano

Montepulciano reigns as the second most planted grape in Italy (after Chianti’s Sangiovese). In terms of label lingo, typically the wines based on the Montepulciano grape tag the regional name on the end of the grape (i.e. “Montepulciano d’Abruzzo” – is literally the Montepulciano grape from the region of Abruzzo).

Smooth, silky textures surround dense layers of black fruit flavor. Expect this wine to run completely dry with a medium- to full-bodied profile and plenty of palate pep to handle grilled game, Italy’s best salumi, regional pastas with tomato sauce, and local cheese finds. You can enter the Montepulciano scene with as little as $8. That said, we recommend turning it up a quality notch for around $20 bottle – promising more body, complexity, and more overall balance.

Affordable Example: Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzo)

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Negroamaro

Negroamaro is grown in the hotter climes of Puglia, on the heel of Italy’s proverbial boot. A tannic beast, Negroamaro can come off as rich or rustic, smooth or sassy, depending on the vintage, proximity to the Ionian Sea’s cooling effects and, in all honesty, the winemaker’s prowess.

Often blended with Primitivo to tone down the tannins and amp up the sweet red fruit factor, Negroamaro promises to play well with all sorts of zesty barbecue digs: pulled pork, sweet chicken, tangy Texas ribs, and more.

Affordable Example: Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva (Puglia)

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Primitivo

Primitivo (aka Zinfandel) is also grown in Puglia often as a complementary blending force to tame the tightly wound tannins of Negroamaro.

However, Primitivo is one of Italy’s lush and plush red wine divas sought as a solo bottling for its generous fruit and sultry spice along with elevated alcohol, and the instantly approachable tandem of low acidity and modest tannins give it a bold, but smooth mouthfeel.

A natural with cured meat, tangy grilled veggies, brats or burgers, Primitivo is a flavor force to be reckoned with. Expect to part with 15-25 bucks for a full-throttle bottle of Puglia Primitivo.

Affordable Example: Tormaresca Torcicoda Primitivo (Puglia)

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Brachetto

Playing to the sweet-tooth, Brachetto is Piedmont’s light-bodied, sweet, and fizzy semi-sparkling dessert wine. Brachetto grown anywhere in Piedmont is labeled simply as “Brachetto” on the bottle, while Brachetto d’Acqui, a classified DOCG, carries the classic Old World naming protocol: “Brachetto” is the grape and “Acqui” is the hilly growing district in southern Piedmont.

This particular style of bubbly begs for dessert partnerships, with all things chocolate high on the love list (it’s one of the few chocolate and red wine pairings sommeliers recommend). Flavors include red fruits, candied flowers, and cream. Expect to pay close to $20 for Brachetto – after all, fun and festive comes at a price.

Affordable Example: Fizz 56 Sparkling Red Brachetto

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Dolcetto

Cleverly translated as “little sweet one,” though don’t expect gobs of sweetness to welcome your taste buds. Dolcetto is usually dry, with blueberry and cherry fruit-driven notes.

This is an easy sipper, happily ready to roll right out of the bottle, and shows soft fruit character with a little less zippy acidity upfront. Not overly picky, when it comes to food pairing, Dolcetto is a flexible friend to antipasto plates, cured Italian meats, and plenty of red-sauced pasta themes.

Affordable Example: Ceretto Rossana Dolcetto d’Alba (Piedmont)

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Barbera

Barbera is Piedmont’s everyday wine that’s perfectly poised to rock the red fruit flavors sans the mouth-drying tannins. While the ruby red color pigments are dark and dense, the actual palate profile is light and bright with the consistent lively background zing of food-friendly acidity. Barbera comes loaded with ripe cherry, blackberry, and earthy herbal tones to dominate the nose and ready to rumble on the palate as well.

Given the silky textures, soaring acids, and laid-back tannins, consider partnering Barbera up with sausage risotto, prosciutto and smoked cheese, beef stew, and the classic Napolitano pizza. No need to pay a lot to snag a tasty bottle of Barbera – many run under $15. You’re welcome.

Affordable Example: Castelvero Barbera (Piedmont)

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Get the Book

Hands down, this is the best beginner book about wine. International bestseller. By the creators of Wine Folly’s award-winning site.

Italy’s Rosé Revolutionaries Are Reclaiming Local Grapes With (Gasp!) French Techniques

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Rosé is arguably the wine industry’s biggest success story of the 21st century. Winemakers worldwide are producing more pink juice than ever before, and those of us in the U.S. have more to choose from than any other time in our history.

As with any other product category, from brick oven pizza to alternative rock, success inspires imitation. To the chagrin of those of us who love wine, there’s been a rush to market by an endless line of mediocre imitators looking to profit off the pale-pink, bone-dry Provencal style.

More optimistically, however, this trend has also led a number of winemaking regions to increase their focus on rosé. For consumers, looking beyond the obvious Provencal producers can pay dividends.

This is especially evident in Italy’s Bardolino region, near Lake Garda’s eastern shores. Bardolino’s pink wine, Chiaretto (pronounced key-a-ret-toh), is largely unknown in the U.S. but perfectly suited to our palates.

These wines are about as pale as rosé gets — chiaro is the Italian word for clear — and feature intensely floral aromas with citrus notes, followed by a steely, fiercely acidic palate. Each bottle has a salty, savory quality evocative of the lake shore. Applying the term “minerality” has become a wine writer cliché, but Chiaretto earns this descriptor — as does Bardolino Rosso, the region’s red wine.

The recent rise of Chiaretto can be attributed to the tireless work of Angelo Peretti, director of the Bardolino wine consortium. Peretti, along with a group of producers following his vision, is creating what is now known locally as “the rosé revolution.”

Chiaretto production in Bardolino dates back to the late 1800s, but it was traditionally seen as a cheap, simple, summertime beverage. “For a long time Chiaretto was dark in color and could not age at all,” Peretti says. “Winemakers didn’t respect the native grapes. By August or September it would collapse, become oxidized.”

In 2008, Peretti starting thinking about Corvina. Famously part of Italy’s legendary Amarone della Valpolicella wines, the grape also happens to be Bardolino’s main variety.

“I thought the right way to produce rosé at Lake Garda was to respect the territory, including the saltiness of the regional soils, as well as the native grape and its naturally lighter color,” he says.

Peretti began teaching local producers French rosé techniques, such as using soft pressure on the grapes, keeping very low temperatures during harvest — which requires picking early in the morning — and fermentation that preserves Corvina’s light color and citrusy flavors.

In 2014, the revolution had a breakthrough. “We had a dramatic vintage that year,” Peretti says. “It was very rainy, and everybody thought it would be impossible to make good wine. So I asked the producers to try the methods we’d been talking about, because they had nothing to lose. And it was a big success. They learned not only that they could do it this way, but that it was easy, and that the market response was great.”

“Italy has a long history in the production of rosé,” Angelo Peretti, director of the Bardolino wine consortium, says.

Now, Peretti aims to make Bardolino’s rosé revolution permanent. He is encouraging  producers to embrace a philosophical and cultural shift. Gone are the days when rosé was just a byproduct of more important reds.

“Rosé is not a method,” Peretti says. “To make great rosé, we need to respect the terroir, the identity and characteristics of each area.” This includes selecting specific sites and training the vines differently from those intended for red production.

“For Chiaretto, we want citrus notes, but for Bardolino [rosso] we prefer that ripe cherry fruit,” Peretti says. “Chiaretto grapes must be harvested earlier to maintain freshness, and we must grow the vines to achieve the correct phenolic ripeness and to avoid green notes. We have to split our vineyards between rosé and red wine, in order to produce the best quality in both.”

This is particularly challenging in Italy, where rosé is less popular than in France and the U.S. Italy is the world’s second-largest exporter of pink wine, but Italians rank sixth in rosé consumption. Category growth has remained elusive. Much of what Italians do consume falls in the cheap, bulk category made for mindless summertime quaffing.

Historically, demand for Chiaretto’s previous iteration (short shelf life, dark color) came only from northern Italy and southern Germany. But increased quality and marketing, especially via social media, is beginning to open markets like the U.S., Canada, and Scandinavia. It’s even growing in France, which Peretti compares to selling ice cream at the North Pole.

Though he’s not eager to over-expand, Peretti sees continued opportunity for a steady, consistent growth. Chiaretto production increased 12 percent in 2017.

“Nowadays we sell Chiaretto all year, in comparison to only March through August previously,” he says. “One of the best months is November. It’s incredible.

“By looking to our soils, our land, and our grapes,” he continues, “we’ve found our identity. Now our goal is to present that to new markets. Not to produce wines for a particular market, but instead to find the markets that match our identity.”

Chiaretto is still very much a niche product; production is about 5 percent of the pink wines coming out of Provence. The market for Chiaretto is those more interested in authentic quality products than T-shirt or hashtag slogans. That’s what the Bardolino producers are counting on, at least.

In April 2018, Peretti began his “next revolution.” A new agreement connects the five Italian regions that have historically produced rosé from indigenous grapes, including Chiaretto di Bardolino, of course; Valtenesi Chiaretto (made on the Lombardy side of Garda, using Groppello); Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo (made from Montepulciano); and rosato from two parts of Puglia: Salice Salentino (Negroamaro) and Castello del Monte (Bombino Nero).

“We don’t see ourselves as competitors, rather as complementary,” Peretti says in a rare show of amity among Old World wine regions. “So we’ve decided to try to explain, to both Italians and the world, that Italy has a long history in the production of rosé and that each region has unique characteristics to offer.”

“We want to help people understand that historical rosé does not just come from France,” he says. “We are proudly sure of our quality and believe we can offer strong competition to the popular French rosés.”

Three Bottles of Chiaretto to Try

Le Morette Bardolino Chiaretto Classico 2016: A perfect example of the style, this pale pink wine has fresh citrus notes and a stony finish.

Vigneti Villabella Bardolino Chiaretto Heaven Scent 2016: Fresh fruit, with floral notes and integrated acidity.

Marchesini Chiaretto Rosé 2016: Dry and fruit-forward, this rosé has notes of stone fruit on the finish.

Barolo, Barbaresco, and the “Other” Nebbiolos of Italy

With all the news coming out about Barolo and Barbaresco, it’s the perfect time to brush up on the amazing grape behind these wines. Why? Prices are notching up from these two Nebbiolo regions, so you’re likely to find great values from neighboring areas.

First things first, a little bit about Nebbiolo:

Imagine getting kicked in the face by a ballerina.

Nebbiolo has this exact same kind of elegant brutality.

One the one hand, it’s elegant. Nebbiolo is best drank from a Pinot-shaped glass so that its delicate aromas of roses, raspberry coulis (“koo-lee”), and anise waft into your nose.

On the other hand, it’s brutal. When tasted, Nebbiolo has so much astringency and mouth-drying tannins that your eyes start watering.

It’s a visceral experience. You’ll either love it or hate it. Naturally, we love it.

Many Faces of Italian Nebbiolo

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In truth, not all Nebbiolo has rip-roaringly high tannins. Also, not all Nebbiolo smells like flowers. Each region in Northern Italy has a different expression of the stuff. Here are the ones to know:

Barolo DOCG

The color is pale garnet, which doesn’t really give you any clue of the intensity in this wine. Its rigid tannins, bold flavors, and higher alcohol (usually around 14% ABV) are more like something you’d find in Bordeaux.

Sommeliers love to describe Barolo with two words: “roses” and “tar.” Of course, Barolo is actually the fruitiest and most full-bodied of all the Nebbiolo regions in Northern Italy. Expect flavors of raspberry, red cherry, roses, potpourri, cocoa, anise, licorice, allspice, truffles, and a clay lick.

Barolo wines age at least 18 months in the barrel, with a total of three years aging before release. Even though that sounds like a lot, this wine is really meant to age. Most traditionally-made examples only start to come around at 10+ years (when all the tannins chill out).

• Riserva Wines labeled Barolo “Riserva” are aged for a minimum of five years.
• Vigna on a label indicates a single vineyard wine.

There are eleven different communes of Barolo, with two different main taste styles (based on the soil type: limestone vs. sandstone). (Of course, winemaker influence matters too, but that’s a story for another time.)

• The lighter-tasting wine communes include La Morra and Barolo, with limestone-based soils.
• The bolder-tasting wine communes include Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba, and Castiglione Falletto, with more weathered sandstone-clay soils.
• Check out this geeky map for the complete list.

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Barbaresco DOCG

The mostly fertile limestone-based soils in Barbaresco (along with its slightly milder climate) results in wines with noticeably less tannins than Barolo.

That’s not to say Barbaresco isn’t tannic; it’s still a monster! It’s just a nicer, friendlier sort of beast.

In terms of flavors, Barbaresco delivers amazing red fruit. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry, cherry syrup, and cotton candy all mingle together on top of roses, potpourri, and lighter notes of anise. It’s not quite as “tarry.”

• Barbaresco must age 26 months (~2 years), with at least 9 months in the barrel.
• Barbaresco Riserva must age 50 months (~4 years), with about 24 months in the barrel.

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A taste comparison between Barolo and Barbaresco revealed how similar they taste.

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Roero DOCG

Roero also sits within Alba in Piedmont right in-between Barolo and Barbaresco. This wine continues to fly under the radar even though it was recently elevated to DOCG status in 2004. Nebbiolo wines are every bit as intense and structured as Barolo (but usually at a fraction of the price). They also have Barbaresco’s sweet fruit.

Leave a call-out below if you’re a Somm who’s freaking out (in delight) about Roero. We’d all love to hear what you’re drinking.

Roero Riserva requires at least of 32 months of aging, including six months in the barrel.

What’s a DOCG?

Italian wines follow a classification system indicated on the neck of the bottle. DOCG is technically the highest classification standard for protected designation of origin. (It stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). Find out more about how Italian wines are labeled.

Other Nebbiolo Regions

1. Boca Nebbiolo is called Spanna here and wines also blend in Vespolina and Uva Rara. These are earthy, rustic wines with high acidity, high tannin, and often iron-like aromas from the region’s soils.
2. Bramaterra Nebbiolo is also called Spanna here and blended with Vespolina and Uva Rara. Wines are lighter in style with simple fresh red berry and rose aromas with medium tannin and ample acidity. Many consider it a sin to open a bottle before 10 years.
3. Canavese Nebbiolo A single-varietal Nebbiolo with a minimum of 85% Nebbiolo (but often more) coming from Northern provinces in Piedmont where the rare white, Erbaluce, grows. Wines seem to be equally floral and earthy with strong tannins and licorice notes. For quality, seek out those serious examples with around 14% ABV!
4. Carema Another Northern Piedmontese gem that produces Nebbiolo on the lighter side – imagine roses, violets, truffles, and wild strawberries. Aging must be at least three years and the Riserva bottlings require four!
5. Fara Nebbiolo is called Spanna in Fara Novarese and wines include Spanna, Vespolina, and Uva Rara. Fara is thought to be a very ancient wine, grown in the hills west of Milan. Wines have rich dried fruit and rustic leather aromas.
6. Ghemme DOCG and Gattinara DOCG Two neighboring Northern Piemontese regions producing single-varietal Nebbiolo wines with rich dried fruit aromas and rustic earthy notes.
7. Langhe Nebbiolo Langhe is the region that encompasses Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero. Vineyards in sites outside of the DOCG regions are positioned in the lower hills or on North-facing plots where it is harder to ripen Nebbiolo. Still, on outstanding vintages, this is a great place to hunt for values.
8. Lessona The best Lessona is 100% Nebbiolo, although some include a blend of Vespolina, Croatina, and Uva Rara. The region’s sandy soils produce wines of lithe elegance with perfumed floral notes of roses, peonies, and violets. On the palate, Lessona has high acidity and is very structured, making it wise to age them for 10 or so years to reach their peak.
9. Nebbiolo d’Alba An even larger region that encompasses much of South Central Piedmont produces a great deal of value-driven Nebbiolo wines. Nebbiolo d’Alba ranges in taste from fruity and floral to herbaceous and rustic. This is a wine where the right vintage will really make a difference!
10. Valtellina, Lombardy In neighboring Lombardy there is a transverse valley that opens to Lake Como. Here, in the south-facing hills, you’ll find Nebbiolo is called Chiavennasca. The region is much cooler and produces wines with tart, earthy berry notes and high acidity. This is where you’ll find the rare Sfurzato or Sfursat wine, which is essentially a Nebbiolo made in the style of Amarone della Valpolicella.

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The More You Know

The complete list of DOC and DOCGs of Piedmont is out now.

Even though there are 59 regions in all, there are just about a dozen grapes to know. Time to dig into Piedmont… Piemonte!

See The List

Sources
Check out this great article extolling the virtues of Barbaresco by Ian d’Agata on Decanter.

The 2012, 2013, and 2014 vintages are under scrutiny for Barolo and Barbaresco. Decanter

Full-Bodied Red Wine, Infographic, Italy, Nebbiolo, Northern Italy, Piedmont, Wine Regions