In my opinion the best italian sparkling wine is Ferrari - Trento DOC
anyone knows it??? The winery is based in Trento in the north Italy, founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari. Now is managed and owned by Lunelli family.
products are divided in:
‘Classic Line’ : brut (24 months on the yeasts) , rosè (more than 24 months on the yeasts), demi-sec (24 months on the yeasts)
‘Maximum Line’ : blanc de blancs (36 months on the yeasts), rosè (36 months on the yeasts), demi-sec (36 months on the yeasts)
‘Perlè Line’ : perlè (5 years on the yeasts), perlè zero (6 years on the yeasts), perlè rosè riserva (5 years on the yeasts), perlè bianco riserva (8 years or more on the years), perlè nero riserva (6 years on the yeasts)
‘Reserve Line’: riserva Lunelli (7 years on the yeasts), Giulio Ferrari riserva del fondatore (10 years on the yeasts), Giulio Ferrari rosè (10 years on the yeasts), Giulio Ferrari collezione (18 years on the yeasts).
some product from perlè or reseve lines can compete with great champagnes…
Here in Italy you can find the brut classic for 10-12€…the Perlè 25€…and the Giulio Ferrari for 70-80€
When I was first getting seriously into wine, I was buying some vintage Ferrari brut and I thought it was quite good. But I haven’t had any in a long time, and I’m kind of curious whether it would still seem to compete with Champagnes at similar price points.
I like Ferrari, but much prefer Bellavista -
If you want some knockout traditional method Italian sparkling wines check out Majolini Franciacorta 2009. Sub $40 and punches well above it’s weight class.
A very funny Chicago wine merchant I know once said that Franciacorta is a cover band, which I thought was very good.
I prefer Italian sparkling wines made of Italian varieties, rather than those that mimic Champagne. There are some native varieties that do well with ‘classic method,’ as well as those made using the Charmat method (or Metodo Italiano, of course), such as quality Lambrusco or Prosecco.
Vajra’s N.S. Della Neve is my fave.
Contratto belongs in the conversation
Agree Ferrari.
We drank a bunch of great bottles while we were in Italy a couple of months ago.
Felsina was making a really great method champaign sparkler when we visited:
Bellavista in my opinion is a good franciacorta, but not more.
And if you consider their entry product ‘Franciacorta Alma Brut Bellavista’ is produced with 40months on the yeasts but you find in the market 5-10€ more than the Ferrari Perlè (5 years on the yeasts)…
About Franciacorta I prefer Ca del Bosco…their top product ‘Riserva Annamaria Clementi’ can be compared with the ‘Giulio Ferrari’
Reviving this thread as I was looking for alternatives to the Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore, which I can’t find locally. What other Trento DOC and Franciacorta bubblies does everyone recommend? While not in those areas, I have enjoyed Vajra’s spumante, as well as Collestefano’s sparkling Verdicchio.
I’d love to try that Felsina.
I love this wine – definitely a hidden gem.
I had the 2013 Rotari Brut recently and thought it was exceptional for under $20.
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2011 Endrizzi Brut Rosé Pian Castello - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino, Trento (11/8/2017)
Very fine and concentrated bubbles with a light croissant aroma. Pale salmon color. Palate is very enjoyable, sour apple, tart unripe Cherry with lots of acidity. Finishes with tart raspberry and lemon. This wine is the pointy end of the stick. I think it’s terrific.
Posted from CellarTracker
Franciacorta and Trento probably make the “best” Italian sparkling wine and it can be quite good. However, at its best, it competes with Champagne, and it might compete favorably in some rare cases (especially when comparing comparably priced wines).
For me, however, Lambrusco is the most “interesting” Italian sparkling wine. There is no obvious “comparable substitute” for Lambrusco, which is particularly enjoyable when made in a lighter, and completely dry style. (Obviously at the extremely rich, dark-red end of the spectrum or the “sweet” end of things, there are comparable “sparkling reds”). It is unique in its ability to pair with certain foods (charcuterie/salumi), and also pairs well with a wide variety of foods. But it has a flavor profile you just don’t really get elsewhere. Unfortunately, there aren’t a huge number of high-quality producers to choose from at this point, but I believe that can change as Lambrusco sheds it’s poor reputation (especially in the U.S., where it is immediately associated with Riuniti). While it may not be the “best”, it’s the most unique to Italy, and when I’m craving it, there’s no obvious substitute.
I like Ferrari, but much prefer Bellavista -
Me too.
I have had some home bottled Prosecco by growers better than anything else in Italy.
I love a good, dry Lambrusco. Just bought a case of the N.V. LAMBRUSCO DI SORBARA Salamino di Santa Croce “Dedicato ad Alfredo Molinari” Brut from the CANTINA DI CARPI E SORBARA - my favorite producer in Modena - it’s wacko good -
I second the suggestion upthread of Ca’ del Bosco Annamarie Clementi for an alternative to Ferrari’s Riserva del Fondatore. I am not sure of local availabilty, though. At the price though, I think there are a lot of better Champagne options out there.
I’ve looked for a few of the suggestions above, but the Ca’ del Bosco is the only one I see available near me. I will try to pick up some this weekend.
The vajra I recommended is not the moscato spumante, which I love, but a dry wine.