Tag Archives: Prosecco

Thirsty Thursday: Nino Franco, Faìve, Spumante Brut Rosé, Valdobbiadene, Italy 2011

Posted on February 20, 2014 by waywardwine

This Thirsty Thursday takes us to Italy. Just above Venice is Valdobbiadene: cradle of Prosecco.

But today’s wine is weird. It looks neither pale green, sweet, nor made from Glera (Prosecco’s only grape). It is pink:

But not just any pink. This glinting, copper flame lives up to its name: Faìve (FieEEve): poetically Italian for those sparks and tongues whipping about at the top of a fire.

So what goes in it?

Around 2000, Primo Franco got bored with perfecting fantastic, dry, single-vineyard Prosecco that was changing the world. So he went to buddy Brandino Brandolini, who grows red grapes. But they broke with Champagne’s (and the world’s) Pinot-hegemony. Heck, they also left red Italian varietals behind. Instead, they used Merlot and Cabernet: grapes that rarely see the light of bubbly. But this ain’t a red Bordeaux. Continue reading →

Posted in Sparkling | Tagged Brut, Brut Rosé, Faìve, italy, Nino Franco, Primo Franco, Prosecco, Rosé, Spumante, Valdobbiadene | 2 Comments

Counting Down: How to Crack Champagne for New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 26, 2013 by waywardwine

The countdown begins. Eyes watch the ball drop. 3. 2. 1.

Corks crack open, impale an uncle, and flutes fill with Champagne. It disappears just as quickly. But between the hugs, huzzahs, resolutions, and regrets, you wonder: was that $40 plus bottle of Frenchness worth it?

It tasted fine. Maybe a bit tart, or a bit fruity, or a bit toasty. But memorable? Maybe it was too cold. Maybe the excitement distracted you. But we here at Wayward Wine blame New Year’s Eve. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2014, Blue Top, Bordeaux, Brut, Champagne, France, Heidsieck & Co Monopole, New year, Non Vintage, Paris, Prosecco, Sparkling wine | 4 Comments

Marcato, “iPrandi” Brut, Lessini Durello DOC, Italy NV $10-14.5

Posted on September 12, 2013 by waywardwine

Think of Italian bubbly and we probably think of Prosecco, maybe Moscato or Lambrusco.

However, hidden in North Eastern Italy, smack dab between Venice and Verona, lay the Lessini hills. Here an ancient grape called Durello thrives. The name may come from its thick skins, or high acid. It may be native. Either way, it loves the volcanic soil. basalt. Elevations are high. Thus Lessini Durello has its own DOC. Continue reading →

Posted in Durello, EMPTIED BOTTLES, Sparkling | Tagged Anxiety, Blind experiment, Chamomile, Cooking, durello, Durello grape, Home, iPod, iPrandi, italy, Lambrusco, Lessini Durello, Marcato, Matricaria chamomilla, Perelman School of Medicine, pinot noir, Placebo-controlled study, Prosecco, Relaxation technique, Shopping, Sotheby, Sparkling wine, Veneto, Venice, wine, Xarel·lo | Leave a comment

SAQ: When Government and Wine are One

Posted on August 10, 2011 by waywardwine

Dear reader or two, please accept my apologies for the hiatus. But fret not, for my vacation to Quebec City was fruitful, or at least wine-filled. Immediately upon arrival, I popped into the Metro Plus grocery store. Past the beer, … Continue reading →