MY TOP SUMMER SPARKLING PICKS FROM THE LANGHE
Piemontese love drinking bubbles especially for aperitivos and during the summer months. The area surprisingly has numerous high quality offerings ranging from sweet Moscato, Alta Langa DOCG and dry spumante rosatos made from Nebbiolo.
Some wineries are specialized heavily in sparkling while many have just one to add to the red wine range. Here are some that I have been enjoying lately.
ALTA LANGA DOCG
FONTANABIANCA Alta Langa Extra Brut Classe di ’91
Matteo from Fontanabianca calls this Alta Langa Classe di 91 (Class of 91) because for their high school reunion his friends wanted him to try to make a sparkling wine from another friend’s Chardonnay grapes. The production was extremely small and just for friends, but became so popular that they have registered it as an official Alta Langa with 30 months on the lees. 80% Chard and 20% Pinot Noir. This winery is part of the Green Experience meaning they do not use herbicides or chemicals and have also planted da truffle reserve and olive trees to preserve the biodiversity of the area.
GIRIBALDI Extra Brut Alta Langa DOCG Millesimato Metodo Classico
Matteo wanted to branch out from the traditional wines made by the family in Alta Langa and experiment with sparkling. Riddled all by hand, they have found the perfect formula with 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. We think he has done a great job!
FRANCONE Valsellera Extra Brut NV Limited Edition
GIRIBALDI Extra Brut Alta Langa DOCG Millesimato Metodo Classico
Matteo wanted to branch out from the traditional wines made by the family in Alta Langa and experiment with sparkling.
Riddled all by hand, they have found the perfect formula with 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. We think he has done a great job!
MARCALBERTO Alta Langa Metodo Classico Millesimo
Marco and Alberto are two brothers from Santo Stefano Belbo who have uniquely dedicated all their wine production to traditional method sparkling wines. The winery produces boutique wines from a total production of nearly 40,000 bottles total.
This Alta Langa is called Millesimato because it is a vintage spumante aged on the lees for about 42 months. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay
GIUSEPPE NADA Rose’ Brut Metodo Classico Pas Dose
As you can tell by the title, this is a rosato made in traditional method with 100% Nebbiolo grapes on the lees for up to 60 months! This is Pas Dose’ so zero dosage of added sugar making it bone dry with great structure for an entire meal.
CASCINA GENTILE Barbabianca Metodo Classico
This artisan organic producer experimented with making sparkling wine from Barbera grapes for a school project. It has now bene in his winery’s wine portfolio since the beginning. The Barbera gives the wine a bright pink color aged for at least 30 months on the lees and riddled by hand! This sparkling wine is easy and fresh and fun to show your friends!
If you would like to explore the great whites and sparkling wines of Piemonte, you could consider joining our Whites & Sparkling Wine Club to get a selection of 6 bottles every 6 months!
