Winemaker Notes
The base wines that go into Cuvée Prestige are the fruit of accurate cluster selection and expert vinification, carried out in line with the Ca' del Bosco Method. Edizione 46 is a blend of 76% 2021 vintage wines, 21% 2020 reserve wines, and 3% 2019 reserve wines.
Blend: 79.5% Chardonnay, 1.5% Pinot Bianco, 19% Pinot Nero
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This cuvée opens with aromas of fresh and spiced baked apples, ginger flowers and a hint of toast. The wine takes a more focused path on the palate with a mineral-driven approach with flavors of preserved lemon peel, Pink Lady apples and finishing with a crushed chalk minerality on the finish. Santa Margherita USA.
-
James Suckling
Intense floral nose with nut, pear and stone fruit aromas. Large, smooth bubbles with a medium body, refreshing brilliant acidity and good length. Just a bit phenolic in the finish. Disgorged December 2024. Drink now.
-
Wine Spectator
This bright, well-cut Franciacorta leads with toasted brioche, smoke and pastry cream notes before revealing flavors of poached apricot and cherry fruit, lemon thyme and pickled ginger as they ride the refined and lacy mousse. Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco. Disgorged autumn 2023. Drink now through 2028. 4,500 cases imported.
Ca' del Bosco is on the leading edge of the exciting new wave of Italian wine producers, making absolutely top-quality sparkling and still wines. Maurizio Zanella founded the winery in 1968, and dedicated himself to distinguishing the sparkling wines of Franciacorta. The winery owns more than 230 acres in the region, with vineyards planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Nero and other indigenous Franciacorta grapes. Ca' del Bosco's reputation for sparkling wines has been secured by the excellence of its cuvées.
Situated among the gentle hills of Brescia, south of Lake Iseo, the Franciacorta region of Lombardy and its neighboring towns were historically better known for their production of firearms than wine. Maurizio Zanella has changed all of that and his talents have placed Franciacorta on the map of quality Italian wine regions. Zanella has worked to ensure the word "Franciacorta" would indicate a specific type of sparkling wine from a specific region, and would not be confused with "methode champenoise" or "spumante." In 1995, his dream came true and the sparkling wine of Franciacorta was named a D.O.C.G. to be marketed as "Franciacorta." Since the new D.O.C.G. standards require a minimum of two years aging before release, the first Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta D.O.C.G. were released to the international market in 1997.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Containing an exciting mix of wine producing subregions, Lombardy is Italy’s largest in size and population. Good quality Pinot noir, Bonarda and Barbera have elevated the reputation of the plains of Oltrepò Pavese. To its northeast in the Alps, Valtellina is the source of Italy’s best Nebbiolo wines outside of Piedmont. Often missed in the shadow of Prosecco, Franciacorta produces collectively Italy’s best Champagne style wines, and for the fun and less serious bubbly, find Lambrusco Mantovano around the city of Mantua. Lugana, a dry white with a devoted following, is produced to the southwest of Lake Garda.