VINITALY to feature some of the best Champagne, Trentodoc and Franciacorta producers

Hosted by Michèle Shah, this exceptional tasting will feature the following exceptional wines:

Ferrari Riserva Lunellli 2008
Ca’ del Bosco Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro Noir 2005
Bellavista Vittorio Moretti 2008
Champagne Jacques Selosse Version Originale
Champagne Eric Rodez Les Grands Vendages (2006 – 2005 – 2004 – 2002 – 2000)
Champagne Moussé Fils Extra Or d’Eugène Solera 2003 – 2011
Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 735 Dégorgement Tardif
Champagne AR Lenoble Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Chouilly Vintage 2008
Champagne Collet Millesime 2006

Organized by Vinitaly in cooperation with Decanter, Michèle Shah will be joined by Pauline Guiset, Marcello Lunelli, Pietro Pellegrini and Mattia Vezzola. Bookings soon available online.

Monday, April 10, 2017
11:00 AM
Iris Room – Palaexpo, entrance A1 (level -1)

For more information: http://www.vinitaly.com/en/events2017/calendar/iris-room/decanter-exp/

Michèle Shah: In this tasting we are going to visit different countries, regions, appellations and terroirs. The intent is not to draw a comparison, though it is obvious that comparisons will be drawn! It is more to celebrate the growing global popularity of Sparkling wines and to show some of those of the top areas and notable ‘Houses’ of production in these three terroirs!

The choice of wines is linked to a recent travel I made in Champagne visiting the Houses listed and enjoying a discovery and a recognition of the great quality and character of these wines. I have also selected for this tasting examples of Italy’s top ‘Metodo Classico’ sparkling wines that are enjoying growing international recognition and admiration for the quality of their production. What does bind these wines together is the grape varieties, though grown to different terriors. These gravitate around Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, while their philosophy whether sustainable, organic or biodynamic, and the secret ‘in house’ recipe is what makes each uniquely individual.

Ferrari – Riserva Lunellli 2008
Ferrari is one of the leading producers of Trentodoc sparkling wines made exclusively by the ‘Metodo Classico’. The story of Ferrari began with a man, Giulio Ferrari, and with his dream of creating a wine in Italy inspired by the very finest French Champagne. In 1952 Bruno Lunelli, the owner of Trento’s best-known wine bar, took over Ferrari from Giulio, who continued to work in the winery until his death. In the decades that followed, Bruno Lunelli’s sons brought the company to the apex of quality and fame. Riserva Lunello 2008 is made from the Chardonnay vineyards that surround Villa Margon showing extraordinary complexity of flavor.

Ca’ del Bosco – Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro Noir 2005
The truth is that there is no single essence of pinot nero. It is a wine with a range of expressions, each interpreting a terroir of provenance. Tenuta Belvedere in Francoacorta docg comprises three plots of vines set in woodlands. It stands at 466 asl on the south side of Lake Iseo. Pinot nero grown here delivers austerity, tautness and rigour. The terrain built up over successive Ice Ages and now resonates with minerality, maturity, stones and warmth. Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro Noir has no dosage or added “liqueur d’expédition, delivering absolute pureness of aromas.

Bellavista – Vittorio Moretti 2008
Founded in 1977, the Bellavista winery now has 190 hectares of vines, covering about a tenth of Franciacorta vineyards and produces an average of 1,150,000 bottles a year, with a top production capacity of 1,500,000. Bellavista vintages are a tribute to great traditional wines, a harmonious blend of excellence that starts with the vine and ends with a perfect taste. The Bellavista Franciacorta Riserva Vittorio Moretti Extra Brut 2008 honors with its name the founder of the company and it is produced only in the best years.

Champagne Jacques Selosse in Avize – Version Originale
Anselme Selosse – needs little introduction to Champagne lovers. Selosse represents a small ‘Iconic’ winery and a passionate producer producing highly individual style wines with a profound sense of terroir. Selosse is said to be the man most responsible for the revolution that’s changing the face of Champagne. His Champagne could be termed as natural/organic/biodaymic – Anselme Selosse doesn’t like to be labelled! He likes to think of his Champagne as a ‘birth’!

Champagne Eric Rodez in Ambonnay – Les Grands Vandages (2006 – 2005 – 2004 – 2002 – 2000)
Small iconic Champagne house, 9th generation family winery led by Eric and Martine Rodez, recently converted by Eric Rodez to biodynamic production with a great respect for terroir. This is a prime site for Pinot Noir due to favourable altitudes (130m average) and S/SE-facing slopes which decrease risk to frost exposure, and the all-important chalk, limestone and clay-limestone that enable production of powerful but elegant Pinot Noir fruit (Rodez don’t grow Pinot Meunier but they do have Chardonnay). We are going to taste the Excellent Cuvée del Grands Vintages.

Champagne Moussé Fils in Cuisles – Extra Or d’Eugène Solera 2003 -2011
Small family owned winery in the heart of the Marne River valley in the village of Cuisles, with production focused on Blanc de Noirs Champagne mainly from Pinot Meunier with very individual character and a real vision of the future and a fierce commitment to environmental protection. Cédric Moussé is at the helm of production and has an absolute passion for his terroir and his Pinot Meunier which we shall see tasting Extra Or d’Eugène Solera.

Champagne Jacquesson in Dizy – Cuvée 735 Dégorgement Tardif
Family owned winery belonging to the Chiquet brothers producing elegant wines with a continuity in style from one year to the next which seems to appear naturally, linked to the quality of their grapes and the tipicity of the terroir. Some people say that the Jacquesson style is nothing more than the taste of the Chiquet brothers. We will elaborate on this with their Cuvée 735 Dégorgement Tardif.

Champagne AR Lenoble in Damery – Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Chouilly Vintage 2008
A beautiful historic medium sized family owned winery, owned by sister-and-brother Anne and Antoine Malassagne who are among the very few Champagne producers to be awarded the certification of “Haute Valeur Environnementale” – environmentally conscious winery. Their vineyards are base in Chouilly, Bisseuil and Damery, producing very elegant crus from Côte des Blancs.

Champagne Collet in Ay – Champagne Collet Millesime 2006
Collet is a one of the first historic Champagne cooperatives that producers quality wines. It is situated in Ay in the heart of Champagne and today owns a fascinating museum based in its historic premises, well worth visiting. Champagne Collet sources predominantly from a supply of Premier and Grand Crus, and as a result, reflects the diversity of terroirs within Champagne. Excellent value Champagnes.

Decanter
Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street London SE1 0SU
www.decanter.com – Email: marketing@decanter.com