A bubble capable of telling so much about the Oltrepo and which takes its name from the year in which the first Italian dry sparkling wine was created. The work of a great-great-grandfather, who transmitted passion and much love for Pinot Noir
Do you remember those nobles who live in idleness without ever having worked a day in their lives? Here, forgettable. Because the protagonist of this story is the exact opposite and if you wanted to give her a gift, she would probably be happy to have days with a few more hours.
Ottavia Giorgi from Vistarino has been taking over the family business for three years, a boundless estate of over 800 hectares, of which about 200 of vineyards, among the few in Italy in which some colony contracts still exist; it includes 25 farmsteads, in which sharecroppers lived with their families, around 450 people, and then the splendid villa Fornace, which hosted nobles and crowned heads from all over Europe, whose photographs and various memorabilia survive. Passing from one room to another, Octavia tells stories of hunting, lunches and parties organized by her parents who still live here. The photographs of the past parade on the shelves next to precious porcelain and the park, designed by Achille Majnoni, architect of the king of Italy Umberto I, surrounds the villa as a green and quiet backdrop. All around the vineyards, which include the classic Oltrepo vines, even though Pinot Nero is definitely the lion's share and occupies a special place in the heart of Octavia. "It was my great-grandfather Augustus who imported Pinot Noir from France in Oltrepo in 1850, which here has found the right climate and suitable soils, calcareous, mixed with clayey marl; today it is produced in red, white and in the classic method version, both white and rosé ”. And there is more, because since Ottavia entered the company, she has tried to enhance Pinot Noir, bottling the vineyard grapes by vineyard, just like they do in Burgundy, and giving life to three crus Pernice (my favorite), Tavernetto and Bertone. Atri will follow in the future, since Octavia took me to see the new plant of the San Silvestro vineyard, dwelling in a cold and always well ventilated area.
But the Rocca de ’Giorgi estate boasts another record: it was born here, in 1865 the first Italian dry sparkling wine, produced by Count Augusto with the help of Carlo Gancia. That date today gives the name to the most representative sparkling wine of the company, the Pas Dosè 1865 Classic Method, a wine that combines momentum, elegance and territoriality. The aromas range from white flowers, to ripe fruit, to candied citrus fruits; when tasted, it is striking for its creaminess and structure: the material is there but it is well supported by acidity and the persistent finish is fresh and saline. It works great, from the aperitif to the fish dinner by the sea.
Why now: goes very well with fish dishes; the ideal is to uncork it on vacation, by the sea.
As did: it is a pure pinot nero, vinified in steel and then aged in the bottle on the lees for at least 48 months before disgorging.
To combine with: first and second courses with fish, shells and shellfish, white meats
Serve it at: 8 ° C.
Price: 27 euros.
contevistarino.it
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