Last night’s tasting with Andover Wine Friends reviewed Italy’s sparkling wines – the everyday bottles (basically tank-fermented) and the special occasion bottles (traditional method with classic varieties). Here is the line up for tank fermented: Passerina (example of a local variety, here from the Marche), Lambrusco, top quality Prosecco Superiore and delightful, inexpensive Asti.  

There were a number of different favourites here but I would plump for the deep ruby, rich blackberry, high tannin and acidity matched with 13g/l residual sugar Lambrusco: Vecchio Moro, Lambrusco Grasparini, Rinaldini. Drink with fatty food and see what I mean… 

The second flight was made up of the high quality, bottle-fermented wines: two from Franciacorta (Bellavista cuvée and its excellent vintage) and three from Trentino.  The latter were made up of Ferrari’s outperforming entry-level Maximum, Altemasi’s outstanding and great value Pas Dosé 2009 and, perhaps Italy’s greatest sparkling wine, Giulio Ferrari  Riserva del Fondatore 2006: 

It’s really difficult to plump for one winner here.  The Ferrari Maximum is a highly competent Chardonnay-based wine at a very reasonable price; the Altemasi is complex and great value too. Bellavista Alma cuvée is a great introduction but the 2011 vintage wine is the real deal with its floral, toasty and ripe peach complexity. And what can one say about Ferrari’s Riserva del Fondatore 2006: 10 years on the lees for a hugely savoury, layered wine. After half an hour the golden apple fruit of Trentino began to emerge from all that brioche and ashy toastiness.