Yellow with green hints color; apple, pear, bread nose; apple, pear, yeast on the palate.
Glorious, generous bubbles; cutting acidity; very pleasing in the mouth. A fresh, fruity, fun wine at a great price, especially for a sparkling made using metodo classico (method champenoise—fermentation in the bottle, same as used in Champagne); 100% chardonnay grapes.
Rotari gets its name from the Lombard King Rotari (or Rothari), 636-652, who brought most of northern Italy under Lombard control through a series of military campaigns. Rotari’s Edict of Rotari (Edictum Rothari) was the first compilation of Lombard law, and included rules for making wine. It mirrors Germanic legislation of the period; the Lombards were a Germanic people who ruled northern Italy from 568 to 774.
Rotari vineyards are in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains—the Italian Alps—ranging from 950 to 2,500 feet. The elevations, clear sunlight, cold nights and breezes from some 400 lakes and glaciers create an ideal environment for crisp, acidic, elegant sparkling wines, such as this example.
Rotari Brut will serve as terrific aperitif to start a grand feast or a fun evening. As with almost all sparkling, it will pair with almost all foods, especially Italian International cuisine.
Terrific Italian sparkling wine at terrific price. $13
Second photo: Rotari winery
