Winemaker Notes
Rotari Brut is a straw yellow color with a fine and persistent perlage. The fragrance is intense and fruity. The flavor is dry, full, fragrant, well balanced and harmonious.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The NV Brut Trentodoc slowly sheds its matchstick and flinty reductive notes to reveal dusty florals and crushed yellow apples. It sweeps across the palate with a silken bead of fine bubbles offset by sharp mineral tones and crisp citrus-tinged pit fruits. Hints of almond custard add richness as it tapers off surprisingly lifted and juicy, leaving a pleasantly bitter resonance that lingers.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A pure expression of Chardonnay, the non-vintage Trento Metodo Classico Brut offers a textbook interpretation of an informal Italian classic method sparkling wine from the far north of Italy. It sees 24 months of sur lies aging. This pretty wine has no rough edges or sharp corners. Instead, it offers silky appeal with plenty of stone fruit, citrus, toasted almond and subtle mineral tones. All these pieces are presented with harmony and balance. If you're looking for a classic, but easy-going sparkler for your home festivities, this luminous Brut definitely fits the bill. The low price point is nothing short of impressive.
Rating: 89+
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.
A mountainous northern Italian region heavily influenced by German culture, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually made up of two separate but similar regions: Alto Adige and Trentino.
Trentino, the southern half, is primarily Italian-speaking and largely responsible for the production of non-native, international grapes. There is a significant quantity of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Merlot produced. But Trentino's native and most unique red variety, Teroldego, while still rare, is gaining popularity. It produces a deeply colored red wine rich in wild blackberry, herb, coffee and cocoa.
The rugged terrain of German-speaking Alto Adige (also referred to as Südtirol) focuses on small-scale viticulture, with great value placed on local varieties—though international varieties have been widely planted since the 1800s. Sheltered by the Alps from harsh northerly winds, many of the best vineyards are at extreme altitude but on steep slopes to increase sunlight exposure.
Dominant red varieties include the bold, herbaceous Lagrein and delicate, strawberry-kissed, Schiava, in addition to some Pinot Nero.
The primary white grapes are Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, as well as smaller plantings of Sauvignon blanc, Müller Thurgau. These tend to be bright and refreshing with crisp acidity and just the right amount of texture. Some of the highest quality Pinot grigio in Italy is made here.