Expensive wine 151: Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvee Brut

Italian sparkling wine, made using the Champagne method, that offers quality and surprising value

Most Italian sparkling wine costs less than $15, comes from the Prosecco region, is made using the less expensive charmat method, and is fizzy and slightly sweet. Right, Big Blue?

But there are several other styles of sparkling made in Italy, with Franciacorta perhaps the best known (and yes, I know most of us still haven’t heard of it). I’ve never quite been able to figure out Franciacorta; why would anyone want to make Champagne-style bubbly with the same grapes used in France in Italy?

Having said that, I’ve tasted some terrific Franciacorta wines over the years. Typically, they’re pricey, though well-made, and they’ve shown up once or twice on the blog. The Bellavista ($35, sample, 12.5%) is also well-made and much less pricey – just the thing for the holidays.

Look for tight, Champagne-style bubbles, the traditional green apple fruit, not too much French-style yeastiness, and a very nice finish and back end that with surprisingly minerality. Considering its price as well as the cost of Champagne, the Bellavista is a tremendous value.

A word about vintages and availability. I tasted the 2008, which is long gone (and no doubt why I got the sample). But the wine is widely available in a variety of vintages, as well as a non-vintage wine. Most should be similar to what I tasted.

Imported by TMT USA