Pale gold color; apricot, pear, green apple, lemon, quince, brioche, almond, strudel on the nose and palate.
Brut; no tannins; fresh acidity. Rich, persistent flavors from 100% mountainside chardonnay (1,800-foot elevation). Impressive balance of liveliness, finesse, creamy texture. Tiny, lively bubbles. Long, satisfying finish. Grapes come from eight acres of deep sandy loam rich in stones. Located in the Cembra Valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of northeastern Italy, the vines are planted on steep terraces, requiring manual management and harvesting as the vineyards are not suitable for mechanical operations. 12.5% ABV
Grapes harvested by hand during first 10 days of September, an early harvest to capture bright acidity. Chardonnay grapes soft pressed, followed by static decantation of the must to clarify the juice. Primary fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. After primary fermentation, wine aged on the lees for six months in 59-gallon French oak barrels, second and third use, with stirring of the lees every two weeks.
After oak aging, the wine undergoes the traditional tirage process (term comes from French verb meaning “to draw off” and refers drawing the blended base wine into bottles to begin secondary fermentation). The “drawn off” base wine is bottled with carefully measured mixture of yeast and sugar (liqueur de tirage) to initiate the second fermentation, which infuses carbon dioxide—the bubbles—and slightly increases the alcohol content. Yeast cells eventually die—autolysis—and these lees remain in contact with the wine. Corvée Brut then experiences an exceptionally long 36 months on the lees, well exceeding the minimum 15-month requirement for Trento DOC sparkling wines.
The bottles experience riddling (remuage) where bottles are gradually rotated to concentrate dead yeast cells in the neck of the bottle. Following riddling, disgorgement involves freezing the neck of the bottle and the frozen sediment is expelled by the pressure of the carbon dioxide, removing the lees and maintaining the wine’s clarity and effervescence. After disgorgement, the bottle is topped up with liqueur d’expédition to replace the volume lost during disgorgement. The liqueur d’expédition is composed of wine and can include sugar to achieve the final desired style. This is bone-dry Brut, so likely little or no sugar was included. The bottle then is sealed with a classic mushroom cork and undergoes additional aging before release.
Corvée Metodo Classico is a marriage of the traditional French méthode champenoise (aka méthode traditionnelle, traditional method) with Italian mountain terroir. The combination produces a delicious wine of impressive elegance and complexity at a fraction of the cost of a true Champagne (sparkling wine that can only be made in the Champagne region of France).
Corvée is a winegrowing project specific to the Cembra Valley. There are four partners “each with their own role.” Moreno Nardin is the oenologist, Mauro and Michele Nardin are the winegrowers, and Mario Esposito is a lawyer who is “guardian and promoter of the company’s values.”
Corvée Metodo Classico Brut Trento DOC NV combines versatility and elegance to showcase high quality, high elevation (the vineyard is in the Dolomite Mountain area of northeastern Italy) sparkling wine at a fraction of the price of Champagne. Rich, persistent flavors; impressive balance; creamy mouthfeel with bright acidity; 100% chardonnay. $33
Pairing—Sparkling wine is extraordinarily versatile; excellent with seafood and fish dishes, including raw fish—fish tartare, sushi, crudo; grilled fish; shellfish, mollusks, oysters, seared scallops, shrimp cocktail, prawns; seafood risotto; fried calamari, arancini; smoke salmon. Eggs Benedict; ricotta pancakes. Will work with lighter meats, too. Cheese—grana padano, aged parmgiano reggiano (24 months); crucolo, provolone Valpadana piccante; fresh mozzarella, burrata, ricotta; brie, camembert; brillat-savarine and other triple-crème cheeses; young asiago; aged gouda and mature cheddar.
Corvée Metodo Classico Brut Trento DOC NV
