Opulent and expansive without being excessive. Crispy, creamy and exquisitely on point.
Brilliant straw yellow colour with clearly defined strings of fine bubbles that persistently rise in the glass.
Expansive aromas on the nose showing freshness, complexity and depth starting from crisp aromas of citrus, pear and green apple, opening to floral aromas including honey suckle and magnolia, and closing with more mature notes of oak biscuits, canned pineapple, almonds and honey.
On the palate a great balance between acidity and roundness, intense flavours with returning aromas of pear, biscuits and almonds, ending in a lasting finish with a pomegranate persistence.
87 points
Food pairings:
Sparkling wines are excellent for appetisers, but with such a fresh palate it can be paired with nearly anything. This wine has a slight taste of residual sugars, complexity of aromas and a decent persistence making it ideal for lightly structured dishes with plenty of aromas. Some examples include: butternut squash soup, vegetable canapés, baked sea bass with scalloped potatoes.
Contadi Castaldi winery is one of the most important producers of sparkling wines in the Franciacorta region of Lombardia, Italy. Franciacorta is known worldwide for their sparkling wines made with the Champenoise method as in Champagne. Although the wine making method is the same, one of the biggest differences from Champagne is the prevalence of Chardonnay in a blend including Pinot Noir and Pinot Bianco.
Franciacorta has a long history of excellence stemming from the 1500’s when the region produced wine and food for princes, noble men and rich merchants. These products were then diffused in other parts of the world through the markets in Venice.
Contadi Castaldi carries on this tradition of excellence with an eye towards innovation. “Contadi” was actually a word used for the lords and property owners in this region during the medieval times. With 130 hectares in 92 vineyards dispersed throughout the region, the winery produces traditional sparkling wines including Satén, made from 100% Chardonnay, Brut, Extra Brut and Brut Nature.
Brùt is a Franciacorta Brut made with 80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Bianco. It is part of the “New Generation” line focused on more innovative wines. An innovative approach can be seen in the adaptation of the bottle which has a shorter neck and reduced diameter. This increases the surface area inside the bottle and the contact that the yeasts have with the wine, increasing consequently the complexity and intensity of aromas in the end product.
The fact that the Champenoise method entails a second alcoholic fermentation and period of ageing in the bottle in contact with the yeasts makes an important difference between the colour, aromas, flavours and structure of a Franciacorta in comparison to a Prosecco. Prosecco generally has a bright yellow colour with fresh fruit and floral aromas and a fresh, clean palate. Franciacorta on the other hand generally has warmer tones of yellow and finer bubbles, more complex and evolved aromas that range from fruit to flowers to toasted and yeasty notes, with intense and persistent flavours and greater structure.
Vinthropology 