Italian Sparkling Wine

Italy makes renowned sparkling wines in three distinct styles: the Martinotti (tank) method, Metodo classico, and Asti method. As always, within each style, quality ranges from simple and mass-produced to complex and artisan.

Tank method wines – such as Prosecco – are fresh and fruity. They work delightfully with aromatic grapes like Glera. Wines produced using the Asti method are sweet and low-alcohol. While Asti DOCG is often mass-produced, Moscato d’Asti DOCG is a cut above and usually hails from boutique wineries. Italy’s best Metodo classico wines, such as Franciacorta or Alta Langa DOCG, are produced from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. They develop complex aromas with time. Italy is known for its outstanding Metodo classico wines aged for an extraordinarily long time.

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Metodo Classico (or "Champagne" method): In this method, the base wine is fermented in a tank. Then, it’s put in bottles, where it undergoes a second fermentation before aging for 1–3 years on the lees. The most famous Italian appellation for this sparkling wine is Franciacorta DOCG. In truth, it’s very hard to find this wine in the UK because almost all of it is consumed in Italy!

Another intriguing version of Metodo Classico is our UK-exclusive sparkling Nebbiolo Rosé wine. This wine is made from the same powerful grape as the legendary Barolo.

The tank method (or the Martinotti method): After the base wine is fermented, yeast and sugar are added to kick-off the second fermentation. This all takes place in sealed stainless steel tanks, where natural CO2 is trapped. Some people believe this is an inferior method compared to Metodo Classico, but it’s genuinely not – it simply serves a different purpose. The most prestigious denominations for Prosecco are Asolo DOCG and Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG.

The Asti method: The sparkling wine undergoes just a single fermentation. The process continues until reaching 7-9.5% ABV and a pressure of 5-6 atm. Then, the wine is chilled to stops the fermentation, filtered and bottled. Moscato d’Asti DOCG is made in a more delicate style with finer bubbles, to retain more fruitiness. It reaches only 5-5.5% ABV and a pressure of only 2.5 atm, preserving the nuanced floral aromas.

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