Franciacorta is a new adventure to me. When I received a few samples, and asked around, it seems like it’s not a well-known region-slash-wine to many in my little new world wine drinking world. (Read some Franciacorta 101.) But I love that I’ve discovered it. Like other well-known sparkling wines, like Champagne or Prosecco, there’s something for everyone — from the very sweet to the bone dry. I, for one, am all about dry sparkles: the depth, the complexity, the structure, the purity of the fruit. The has all of that. So grab a glass and join me…
About the Wine: The Lantieri Franciacorta Extra Brut is a non-vintage sparkling wine made from 85% Chardonnay grapes and 15% Pinot Nero grapes (with the Chardonnay at an average age of 15 years and the Pinot Nero averaging 10 years) harvested from the Franciacorta region of Italy.
Al grapes were gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel vats and small oak casks, after which the wine is kept in contact with the yeasts with continuous battonage. The wine undergoes secondary fermentation in bottle, as per the metodo classico. The wine aged in bottle for 2 years.
12.5% ABV
Flavor Profile: Pop the cork of the Lantieri Franciacorta Extra Brut and breathe in pure yeasty, toasty, bready, yumminess. The spakrling wine presents a pale straw on the pour, settling into the glass a shade brighter for a luminescent yellow — immediately emitting aromatics.
Initial aromas are of citrus curd, vanilla, and sour apple. Swirl and release a kind of Asian-inspired sweetness (perhaps like lychee) and sweet-pea petal perfume. The palate is dry with a background of sweet florals-meets-sour fruits. Dominant flavors are of pineapple, lemon zest, lemon curd, fresh green grassy herbs, and a beautiful honey-nut and sweet milk that flows in and dissipates for a pleasantly, and surprisingly, heart-warming finish.
More Info: I received the Lantieri Franciacorta Extra Brut as a sample for review. (Cheers Constance!) Retail: $35. For more information about Lantieri Franciacorta, their different offerings, and to order wines directly, please visit the Lantieri Franciacorta website.
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