Score: 90/100
This bubbly made by Cantina La Montina comes from the area of Franciacorta in the Piedmont of Northern Italy, arguably the best sparkling wine producing appellation in the country.
It’s made predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes (85%) which gives it its distinctive color, and a 15% Chardonnay. Obtained using the traditional method (metodo classico as the Italians call it) it went through a rather long ageing on its lees in bottle for a minimum of 30 months, which in theory allows for more complexity and finesse of the bubbles.
So let’s find out how good this 2009 La Montina Franciacorta Rosé really is.
Tasting Notes:
The wine comes in a delicate pale-ish salmon color, pink with marked hues of yellow and orange.
The nose is very intense and displays exuberant fruity notes of strawberry and fresh fig. It’s very unuasually fruity but doesn’t smell artificial at all, rather like natural and complex rich fruit juice (like a fresh well-made smoothie!?!).
Notes of sweet spices, vanilla and butter provide depth and complexity to the aroma profile, as well as some great vinosity.
As a contrast to the nose’s fruitiness and overall ‘sweet’ feel, the palate is bone dry, it’s an extra-brut after all. The fruitiness of the aroma turns in the mouth into floral and herbal flavors.
While the nose suggested a bit of a ‘girly’ style of rosé, we’re in fact here with a sparkling wine that will demand food to be fully enjoyed and the coating element of fine products: canapes, delicate seafood salads with olive oil, or butter sauce (beurre blanc) fish for example.
Overall
A complex and surprisingly fresh and fruity rosé, yet very dry and filled with a well-balanced acidity.
This is a wine for gastronomy and educated vinous wine-loving palates.
Please let me know your thoughts