Made with 100% glera grapes from the Prosecco region of northern Italy, this sparkling wine is technically a Prosecco, but whereas most Proseccos get their bubbles by undergoing secondary fermentation in a steel vat before being bottled (the Charmat method), this wine never undergoes secondary fermentation at all. Instead, it is bottled while primary fermentation is taking place, trapping the carbonation. This method of creating sparkling wine is called pétillant-naturel or pét nat, which still isn’t all that common in Italy. Let’s give it a try.
Popping the top, a rush of yeasty notes bursts forth, a natural result of being aged on the lees and never removing (disgorging) them. The lees can be seen floating in the bottle, and the wine pours hazy pale yellow in color. In the glass, notes of lemon and orange citrus as well as a touch of peach join the yeast on the nose. On the palate, lemon citrus is dominant along with some orange and high acidity. The yeasty note that was strong on the nose is much lighter here and the wine is fruity, but fairly dry. As the wine warms, a light salinity appears, providing interesting complexity. For fans of regular Prosecco, this is an exciting, and fairly affordable, alternative style worth trying.
B+ / $22 / verovinogusto.com
2020 Zanon Colli Trevigiani IGT
$22
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