December 6, 2023 - Nose: strawberry and green quince.
Palate: strawberry, watermelon, lime, salt, guava, and light yeastiness that takes a backseat to all the rest.
High acid, medium body, harsh bubbles. I can almost count the number of bubbles with each sip they're so big.
My first franciacorta, and I was expecting much more. Really pretty rough around the edges. A good crémant de xyz is generally going to be better quality and value.
September 11, 2023 - Light on the palate wirh refreshing crisp fruit framed by crème fraiche — it has that sour yet creamy vibe. Strawberries, lemon, citrus that holds onto the palate into the finish. Not wildly complex, but is tasty.
June 3, 2023 - Nose is subdued with some strawberries. Crisp acidity, light mousse, medium minerality and then brioche, strawberries, and Mayer lemon. Medium long ending, oak. Good!
February 26, 2023 - Enjoyable and not overly complex.
August 30, 2021 - Melon and red fruit on the nose. Bright and light weight, with nice effervescence and a sprightly character.
February 6, 2021 - On the nose, red apple, some tart red cherries, and some cranberries - red fruit here. This had a kind of a jolly rancher thing going on here. tiny bubbles and lots of fine mousse. On the palate, more of the same. However, the finish is a tad short for my taste. Medium body. Medium plus acidity. This, to me, was a bit of a disappointment. I wasn't expecting too much for the price, but this still let me down.
July 5, 2020 - Sopra la media, ma nulla più
February 15, 2020 - Surprisingly rich! complex, light rose color. Great minerality. Refreshing.
July 17, 2019 - To Franciacorta, or not to Franciacorta? (that is the question)
I was first told about Franciacorta by a waiter (ironically named Dimitri) at Osso Steakhouse, a favorite Italian restaurant in San Francisco. Franciacorta is not well known (none of my wine-drinking friends, one a native of France, had heard of it), and can be difficult to find.
This dry, sparkling rosé from Lombardy is a blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Nero, 13.0% abv. DOCG requires Franciacorta be aged at least 18 months on lees, but this is aged over 24 months. Served @ 7c/45f with hors d'oeuvres. Pale strawberry pink in the glass, nose is of strawberry & apricot. Crisp and refreshing with finely textured bubbles, intense red fruit bursts on the palate. Wine is well-balanced with just a hint of sweetness. Nice acidity cleanses the mouth and evolves into a pleasant, lingering finish. I'll Franciacorta some more, if you please; IF I can find it.
I bought a couple of other bottles of Franciacorta at the same time; Lantieri Cuvee Brut, & Lantieri Brut Satèn (100% Chardonnay), that I am just waiting for the right moment to try.
Update: 11/11/19 opened the Lantrieri Cuvee Brut for a B'day celebration. I give it 90 points. Two winners out of two isn't bad and I am now a Franciacorta Fan and will seek it out. Definitely looking forward to trying the remaining bottle I have (Satèn). I purchased all three bottles at Astor Spirits in NYC, but they no longer carry Franciacorta. Happily, VLGJEFF (also a Franciacorta aficionado) located a store near me in the San Francisco Bay Area (Solano Cellars, Albany CA) that does carry a good selection of Franciacorta (including this Contadi Castaldi Rosé).
For those intrigued, here is a link to a good article on Franciacorta:
https://www.foodandwine.com/wine-regions/italy/italys-top-25-under-20
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May 5, 2019 - Rose gold, fruity tertiary fun. Freshly washed dank raspberries and blood orange.