Italian sparkling wines fly with the wind in their sails abroad, increasingly appreciated all over the world. And it comes at an opportune time Sparkle 2019, the guide to the best dry sparkling wines in Italy edited by Francesco D'Agostino director of Cucina&Vini especially in view of the end of year toasts. The Guide assigns five spheres, which stand for bubbles, to the best national production. This year there are 791 top-level labels selected by the Cucina & Vini panel out of over two thousand tastings. Alone 70 vini they won the 5 spheresi.e. the maximum mark. But how to orient yourself to get to the top of the top?
First&Food consulted some of the best-known Italian sommeliers obtaining five golden labels which ensure a product of exceptional quality, which do not disfigure at all in comparison with the noble wines from beyond the Alps, and which should not be missing in homes of gourmets and enthusiasts. Here they are: Alta Langa Matteo Giribaldi Brut 2014 by Mario Giribaldi (Piedmont), Franciacorta Emotion Brut 2014 of Villa Franciacorta (Lombardy), Trento OroRosso Dosage Zero of Cantina La-Vis and Valle di Cembra (Trentino), Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore rive di Colbertaldo Vineyard Dry Garden 2017 by Adami (Veneto), Brut of Marramiero (Abruzzo).
There is something new in this year's guide: the Sparkle judges also wanted to establish a special prize "Wine of emotion 2019", the word says it all, which went to the Trento Giulio Ferrari Founder's Reserve Rosé Extra Brut 2006.
Having established the tops of excellence for 2018/2019 Sparkle 2019 offers another useful list of wines, the 20 sparkling wines that present the best value for money. Also in this case a very useful indication to cheerfully toast to the new year, but also in all other celebrations, without having to ask for a credit line in the bank.
“The guide to sparkling wines – explains Francesco D'Agostino – has by now become a real vademecum for approaching an increasingly articulated world and above all one that offers very high-end wines and others that are very simple. Obviously the territories with the greatest sparkling wine vocation are Franciacorta, Trento, Alta Langa, Prosecco Superiore di Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Alto Adige, Oltrepò Pavese and Roero Arneis, to which are added companies that have been guaranteeing top level labels for several years now. In total, seventy samples that do not fear comparison with the best sparkling wines in the world”.
A parallel that is also confirmed by the data relating to consumption abroad, clear evidence of a sector in good health and above all in constant growth.
“We are approaching the end of the year – he adds Francis D'Agostino – following a worldwide success that shows no signs of slowing down. In the first half of this year, Italian sparkling wine was exported for 651 million euros, marking a growth close to 14% compared to the first half of 2017. And the forecast is to definitely exceed the threshold of one billion and three hundred million reached last year. In the wake of this progress, other areas of Italy are giving life to a sparkling wine production that can have great appeal in the world, such as Spumante Garda Doc, Spumanti d'Abruzzo Dop and Novebolle Romagna Doc Spumante. The model is that of Prosecco, i.e. an immediate wine that won not only for its style but also and mainly for the shared project. A more difficult objective to achieve for those companies which, while adopting an appreciable style, cannot count on the endorsement of an important territory and on the teamwork developed over the years”.
In short, the Spumante, flagship of Made in Italy, continues to live its golden moment. The export turnover forecasts for 2018 of the Italian sparkling wine sector show great excitement. And the numbers are incredible, just compare the 2003 data with today's data. Well, if in 2003 our exports amounted to 231 million euros, in 2017 it reached 1.361 million euros, and the forecasts for 2018 raise the bar once again to 1.550 million euros. Turned into bottles, if in 2003 we produced 116 million, this year 525 million will come out of our cellars.
Approximately 2,5 billion bottles - 19 Mhl are consumed in the world (estimate on OIV data from 2103 - when consumption was 2,05 billion bottles - 15,4 Mhl - considering a 4-5% annual growth), almost the 30% Italian. In fact, Italy produced six million hectoliters of sparkling wine in twelve months (Icqrf data, from 1/8/2017 to 31/7/2018) or 800 million bottles, 70% with certified origin.
THE BEST ITALIAN SPARKLING WINES
