It is the most eagerly awaited appointment in view of the toasts of the Christmas holidays, an essential reference event for the world of Italian sparkling wine, a must for both insiders and enthusiasts. It's Sparkle Day, which this year, due to a health emergency, turns into Sparkle Month, a themed online marathon that will last throughout the month of December until the first days of January 2021, at the end of the Christmas holidays. .
Starting Thursday 3 December 2020 on the Cucina & Vini web and social channels.
“The critical situation that still hangs over the country – underlines Francesco D'Agostino, director of Cucina & Vini – does not allow us to organize Sparkle Day in its usual form. Despite everything, we want to support the Italian Sparkle world with conviction, continuing to act as a trait d'union between the public and producers and this year we will do it with even greater commitment. We will use our web channels guaranteeing, for over a month, a constant flow of information, thus trying to always keep the attention high on quality Italian bubbles".
The start of Sparkle Month will coincide with the release of the Sparkle 2021 Guide, a precious handbook, in both paper and web versions, on the best dry sparkling wines in Italy. A very rich nineteenth edition, which tells about 890 wines from the North to the South of the Peninsula, a real journey through the best of national sparkling wine production. Great expectations, as always, to get to know the coveted "5 spheres", or rather the labels not to be missed, those capable of reaching the top of the evaluation; there will be 87 with various confirmations, compared to past editions, but also with interesting innovations that testify to the liveliness of the sector.
Among the most represented territories in first place, with 31 "5 spheres", Lombardy; in second place, at an altitude of 18, is Veneto; with 16, in third position, Trentino. At the foot of the podium Piedmont (10); followed by South Tyrol (4); then Puglia (3) and Abruzzo (2); finally Friuli Venezia Giulia, Umbria and Lazio, with an award-winning label each.
Also present in the guide is the interesting section "Vintage", dedicated to tasting bottles stored for a few years in the cellar, within which there are no shortage of great surprises.
“The pace is dictated by the historic denominations of sparkling wine, Franciacorta DOCG, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Trento DOC, Alta Langa DOCG,” comments D'Agostino. However, as usual, there are virtuous examples and pleasant innovations in territories that do not boast solid production traditions. I am thinking, for example, of Lazio, a region awarded for the first time. But the good news is that the tastings confirm a constant growth in average quality throughout the country".
Starting from 3 December, a fact sheet on each company present in the guide will be published online, and there will be videos in which the producers themselves will present their reality, philosophy and labels. Each wine tasted by the Cucina & Vini editorial staff will be told to the readers, accompanied by a dish designed to match and there will be recipes, described in detail, designed for matching with bubbles. The contacts of the labels will obviously be highlighted and, most importantly, many labels will be accompanied by a link that will redirect to the company shop, when present, to allow immediate purchase of the same, taking advantage of a discount.
“We really hope – concludes D'Agostino – that everything can be of support to the world that we have been telling for twenty years. Even a contribution like ours can be important for companies that are forced to do without (in whole or in part) the great work done by wine bars and restaurants. Moreover, in a period of the year, that of the Christmas holidays, which usually represents for many the most commercially important moment. At the same time we try to offer readers and consumers extra information, stories and, why not, ideas for choosing the product that best suits their tastes".
Complete list of Sparkle 5 “2021 spheres”, in order of region, denomination and company:
Piemonte
Alta Langa Reserve Cuvée Aurora 100 months Pas Dosé 2010 Banfi
Alta Langa Cuvée Valentina Nature 2016 Bel Colle
Alta Langa Pas Dose Brut Nature 2013 Giulio Cocchi
Alta Langa Rösa Brut 2016 Giulio Cocchi
Alta Langa Reserve Zero Pas Dosé 2014 Enrico Serafino
Alta Langa Riserva Cuvée 60 Months Brut 2011 Gancia
Alta Langa Riserva Cuvée 120 Months Brut 2008 Gancia
Alta Langa Matteo Giribaldi Brut 2016 Mario Giribaldi
Soldati La Scolca D'Antan Rosé Brut 2008 La Scolca
Caluso Cuvée Tradition 1968 Brut 2013 Orsolani
Lombardia
Franciacorta Essence Satèn Antica Fratta
Franciacorta Naturae Edition 2016 Barone Pizzini
Franciacorta Riserva Vittorio Moretti Extra Brut 2013 Bellavista
Franciacorta Riserva Palazzo Lana Extreme Extra Brut 2009 Guido Berlucchi
Franciacorta Riserva Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Dosage Zéro 2010 Ca' del Bosco
Franciacorta Riserva Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Rosé Extra Brut 2010 Ca' del Bosco
Franciacorta Riserva Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro Noir 2011 Ca' del Bosco
Franciacorta Cuvée Monogram Zero 2016 Castel Faglia
Franciacorta Riserva Lucrezia Black Label Extra Brut 2008 Castello Bonomi
Franciacorta Eronero Brut 2012 Ferghettina
Franciacorta Extra Brut 2014 Ferghettina
Franciacorta Riserva Casa delle Colonne Brut 2013 Berlucchi Brothers
Franciacorta Mariadri Extra Brut 2012 I Barisèi
Franciacorta Zero La Fiorita
Franciacorta Secolo Novo Brut 2012 Le Marchesine
Franciacorta Riserva Døm Dosage Zero 2012 Mirabella
Franciacorta Riserva QZero Dosaggio Zero 2013 Quadra
Franciacorta Museum Release Extra Brut 2009 Ricci Curbastro
Franciacorta Dosage Zero 2015 Santus
Franciacorta Riserva Lorenzo Ambrosini Extra Brut 2010 Tenuta Ambrosini
Franciacorta Comari del Salem Extra Brut 2013 Uberti
Franciacorta Magnificentia Saten 2016 Uberti
Franciacorta Quinque Extra Brut Uberti
Franciacorta Diamant Pas Dosé 2015 Villa Franciacorta
Franciacorta Riserva Brut Selection 2011 Villa Franciacorta
Lugana Brut Nature 2012 Pearl of Garda
Oltrepò Pavese Classic Method Pinot Noir Three Gran Lustry DT Extra Brut 2004 Marchesi di Montalto
Farfalla Noir Collection Pinot Noir Extra Brut Ballabio
Fusion Brut Fratelli Giorgi
Nature Monsupello
Pinot Noir Brut Rossetti & Scrivani
Trentino
Trento Riserva Cuvée dell'Abate Brut 2009 Abate Nero
Trento Riserva Graal Brut 2013 Altemasi
Trento Reserve Brut 2015 Bellaveder
Trento Riserva Aquila Reale Brut 2010 Cesarini Sforza
Trento Giulio Ferrari Founder's Reserve Extra Brut 2009 Ferrari
Trento Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Founder Rosé Extra Brut 2008 Ferrari
Trento Reserve Lunelli Extra Brut 2012 Ferrari
Trento Riserva Perlé Nero Extra Brut 2012 Ferrari
Trento Reserve of the Founder 976 Brut 2009 Letrari
Trento Riserva Dosaggio Zero 2014 Letrari
Trento Riserva Madame Martis Brut 2010 Maso Martis
Trento Rosé Extra Brut 2016 Maso Martis
Trento Brut Nature 2014 Moser
Trento Reserve Erminia Segalla Extra Brut 2011 Pisoni
Trento Riserva Alpe Regis Pas Dosé 2014 Rotari
Trento Riserva Flavio Brut 2012 Rotari
South Tyrol
Alto Adige Talento Cuvée Marianna Extra Brut Arunda
Alto Adige 600 Blanc de Blancs Pas Dosé 2014 Kurtatsch Winery
Alto Adige Riserva 1919 Extra Brut 2014 Kettmeir
Alto Adige Riserva Comitissa Pas Dosé 2016 Lorenz Martini
Veneto
Valdobbiadene Rive di Colbertaldo Dry Garden Vineyard 2019 Adami
Valdobbiadene Rive di Farra di Soligo Col Credas Extra Brut 2019 Adami
Valdobbiadene Cartizze Dry 2019 Andreola
Valdobbiadene Rive di Soligo Mas de Fer Extra Dry 2019 Andreola
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry 2019 BiancaVigna
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Collalto Extra Dry 2019 Borgoluce
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Ius Naturae Brut 2019 Bortolomiol
Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze Dry 2019 Col Vetoraz
Valdobbiadene Suprème Dry 2019 Le Bertole
Conegliano Valdobbiadene 20.10 Brut 2019 Le Manzane
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Ruio Brut 2019 Malibràn
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Giustino B. Extra Dry 2019 Ruggeri
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Parcel 68 Brut Sorelle Bronca
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Historic Blend Dry Val d'Oca
Valdobbiadene Cuvée by Boj Brut Valdo
Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze La Rivetta Brut 2019 Villa Sandi
Lessini Durello Riserva Cuvée Augusto Dosaggio Zero 2013 Dal Cero
Works Reserve Brut 2013 Villa Sandi
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Talent Dialogue of Cantalfieri Blanc de Noir Brut 2016 Cantarutti Alfieri
Umbria
Riesling Brut 2007 collection La Palazzola-Grilli
Lazio
Aladoro Brut Heritage Vineyards
Abruzzo
Brut Marramiero
Rosé Brut Marramiero
Puglia
Daunia Bombino Bianco RN Brut 2016 d'Araprì
Gran Cuvée XXI century Brut 2014 d'Araprì
La Dama Forestiera Nature 2015 d'Araprì
