Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui 2007 & 2010

I’ve been holding onto a little 2007 350 ml since February 2009, never quite sure of when to pop it. In fact, I’d held onto it for so long that I’d begun to wonder if it would be any good.

Produced in the town of Acqui in the Piedmont region of Italy (DOCG), Brachetto d’Acqui is a slightly sweet sparkling red made from the Brachetto grape. It has a soft effervescence, produced by the Charmat method, where the secondary fermentation occurs in tanks just before bottling. Typically, this method is used for wines that are meant to be consumed young, hence my nervousness about having held onto it. Continue reading

Pascal Pibaleau “La Perlette” Sparkling Grolleau NV

Don’t be fooled like I was – that dark-colored bottle is clear, showing the rich, raspberry color of the wine itself. 100% Grolleau, an almost extinct deep red grape from the Loire, this red wine is classically vinified as a rosé; winemaker Pascal Pibaleau has crafted a lovely sparkling red in the frizzante (slightly fizzy) style. Continue reading