The problem a lot of people have with sparkling wines is mistaking sweetness for fruit. I am NOT allergic to bubbles finished at 10 or even 20 g/l–if done right–and with Prosecco, you just kinda automatically add a few percentages to a French norm of labeling. But here we have an “Extra Brut”–something I would assume finished at 1% or so in Italy–claiming 0 RS in the finished wine, but no indication of dosage. From all appearances though, that addition is also is slight-to-nil. Throw away your expectations of Prosecco sugar-bombs: this is tight, densely-dry stuff. But with plenty of fruit. The way God intended.
Crystal pale white-yellow in the glass with ready white mousse fast-declining but never leaving the taste-profile. Solitary streamers of bubbles work their way from the bottom of the glass and explode on the tongue. Distinctive Glera nose: wet paper and slight grass all coated in vegetal floral and bright creamy almond.
The attack smacks of 7-Up: a mild citrus carrying the shocking spritz and fading away over the palate in soft notes of pear and pineapple. The only sweetness visible is in the last draughts of room-warmed and fairly-flat liquid, where the pear flushes out in spectacular fashion. The winery suggests drinking this at 45°-50°, something I am ENTIRELY on board with. This wine is dry enough that, if poured from an ice bucket, it would be astoundingly austere. The generous structural grip of the finish shows a wine *just* touching drinkability, and feeling ridiculously young. Though NV, the label indicates “2017” as source and the website gives plentiful math for age-deduction. This wine will age slowly and tediously for a decade EASY.
I get accused regularly of liking my bubbles too bland, but I say: You can never be too rich or your champagne too dry. Or maybe Coco Chanel said that. I dunno…
NV BELE CASEL ‘Vecchie Uve’ Extra Brut Prosecco Superiore Asolo DOCG Italy 11.0
Stephen McConnell 