Wine & Spirits - August 2019 - 46

YEAR'S BEST SUMMER SPARKLERS
231929

90 | Ferrari

$80

2009 Trento Perlé Nero Riserva Extra Brut ^
The pinot noir that makes up this sparkling
grows on slopes that reach over 1,300 feet
above sea level. The wine rests on the lees for
six years, developing notes of brioche and a
creamy texture that enriches the red apple
flavors. (W&S 10/18) § Taub Family Selections/
Esprit du Vin, Boca Raton, FL -S.J.

VENETO
271392

92 | Col Vetoraz

$47

2017 Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze
Dry ^ Col Vetoraz is one of the only wineries
located within Cartizze, where glera vines
cling to steep slopes at elevations up to 1,300
feet, where the clusters ripen under intense
sunshine, developing rich flavors of mango
and peach along with subtle spice notes. Cool
evenings preserve crisp acidity that, along
with the wine's pearly texture and bright
saline notes, balances the lush fruit flavors
and brings the wine to a refreshing finish. §
Regal Wine Imports, Moorestown, NJ -S.J.
271485

91 | Adriano Adami

$23

2017 Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore Asciutto Rive di Colbertaldo
Vigneto Giardino (Best Buy) ^ Abele Adami
established his winery in 1920 with the
purchase of the Giardino vineyard, and
the family has been producing a singlevineyard Prosecco with fruit from its southfacing slope since 1933. Vigneto Giardino
is made in the dry (asciutto) style, which,
counterintuitively, means that it retains
more sugar (19 to 21 grams per liter) than
brut or extra dry Prosecco. That sweetness
amplifies flavors of golden apple and white
peach, their silkiness balanced by tangy citrus
acidity. Perfect for Sunday brunch, it's also a
bottle that will impress your guests on special
occasions. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA -S.J.
271484

90 | Adriano Adami

$20

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore dei Casel Extra Dry (Best Buy) ^
Dei Casel, a local nickname for the Adami
family, combines an almond-croissant
richness with flavors of crushed apple and
delicate citrus. The taut acidity and hint of
natural sweetness give the wine the versatility
to pour as an aperitif, or with light seafood. §
Dalla Terra, Napa, CA -S.J.
271482

90 | Adriano Adami

$23

2017 Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore Col Credas Rive di Farra
di Soligo Brut (Best Buy) ^ Col Credas
is the most austere of the Adami wines
46

WINE & SPIRITS

AUGUST 2019

recommended here, with prominent saline
notes over subtle flavors of crushed almond,
chamomile, tart apple and peach. Its delicate
floral scents and refined satin texture add
to its appeal, as does the crisp finish. § Dalla
Terra, Napa, CA -S.J.
271481

88 | Adriano Adami

$20

2017 Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Sul Lievito Vino Frizzante (Best Buy) ^ This
wine undergoes a second fermentation in the
bottle, resting on the lees for two months
until all of the sugar has been converted,
leaving it slightly cloudy. The creamy texture
contrasts with the wine's dryness and lightly
bitter saline notes, making it an intriguing
wine that goes beyond Prosecco's typical
light-and-fruity profile. § Dalla Terra, Napa,
CA -S.J.
271486

86 | Adriano Adami

$12

Treviso Prosecco Garbèl Brut (Best Buy) ^
This offers cool flavors of green pear and
apple skin wrapped in a creamy texture, with
a hint of spearmint on the dry, refreshing
finish. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA -S.J.
271173

86 | Da Luca

$14

86 | Forchir

$15

Prosecco Extra Dry (Best Buy) ^ Notes of
apple skin add a pleasant bitterness to this
wine's flavors of white peach and mandarin
orange. It has the autumnal appeal of a
hard cider, perfect for chilly late-summer
evenings. § Accolade Wines North America,
Healdsburg, CA -S.J.
271108
Prosecco Extra Dry (Best Buy) ^ Scents of
white blossoms lead into flavors of tart citrus
and crunchy pear in this refreshingly zippy
Prosecco. § H2Vino, Chicago, IL -S.J.
271727

85 | Ca' di Rajo

$16

85 | Gran Passione

$13

Treviso Prosecco Extra Dry (Best Buy) ^
Creamy and lightly sweet, with flavors of
green pear and white peach, this is a sparkler
to keep on ice at a pool party. § Gregory Condes
Wine, San Francisco, CA -S.J.
270961
Prosecco Extra Dry (Best Buy) ^ Lightly
sweet, with flavors of tart apple and pear,
this is an affordable pour for cocktail hour. §
Winesellers, Niles, IL -S.J.
271093

85 | Sommariva

$15

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore Brut (Best Buy) ^ Notes of almond
and peach skin lend weight to this Prosecco's
tart green-apple flavors. Dry and slightly
toasty, it's a wine to serve with dinner. Kermit
Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA -S.J.

PORTUGAL
BAIRRADA
236185

92 | Filipa Pato

$15

91 | Luis Pato

$40

90 | Luis Pato

$20

Barraida 3B Extra Brut Rosé (Best Buy) ^
A 75/25 blend of red-skinned baga and
white bical, this is a rich sparkler that brings
to mind a shellfish broth with its vibrant
salinity, and a raspberry mousse with its
supple, refreshing fruit flavors. It's creamy,
with plenty of acidity and bubble to finish on
a lovely, clean fragrance. Pour it with grilled
langoustines or other rich shellfish. (W&S
2/19) § Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY -J.G.
270980
2015 Bairrada Vinha Pan Espumante ^ Luis
Pato makes this sparkling baga by hyperoxygenating the must, which drops the
color out and clears the juice of elements
that might later oxidize, so he doesn't have
to add sulfur. He presents the wine without
dosage, its freshness preserved by the cool,
racy acidity of old-vine baga grown in claylimestone soils near the Atlantic. Scents
of meadow flowers merge with the yeasty
whole-grain character of the lees in this
brisk, elegant sparkler; for shellfish. (W&S
6/19) § Wine In-Motion USA, Union, NJ -J.G.
235633
2011 Beiras Informal Baga da Vinha
Pan Bruto ^ An engineer by training and an
inveterate tinkerer in the cellar, Luis Pato
continues to develop variations on baga,
the local grape in Bairrada, including a
range of fascinating sparkling wines. This
2011 comes from baga grown on chalky clay
soils and harvested early; it's exclusively the
white free-run juice. He ages the wine for
three years on the lees, presenting a bright,
refreshing sparkler with tart notes of currants
and strawberries, and herbal scents, like
tarragon. It's crisp and clean, with plenty of
bubbles adding to the wine's cut. Ready to
take on leitão (the local roast suckling pig) or
any rich foods. (W&S 2/19) § Wine In-Motion
USA, Union, NJ -J.G.

Wine & Spirits - August 2019

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