Medium Body, Dry (Pinot Nero). DOCG Oltrepo' Pavese Metodo Classico. Alc 12.5%.
Champagne-style sparkling from historic estate; grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested into crates; vinification involves 36 months refinement. 16/20 Jancis Robinson.
* NEW LABEL DESIGN *
TASTING NOTES: Fine perlage. Aromas of yeast and wild strawberries. Creamy and lively, with an almost salty note.
From the winery:
"The limestone-clay soil of our hills provides a treasure of minerals and nutrients to our Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vineyards, granting the resulting wines bold flavours and a muscular structure. The first and prime selection drawn from the harvest is funneled in the Cuvée ‘More bottles, as Brut, Pas Dosé or both depending on each year’s qualities. Scent and flavour open in wideness and boldness, balanced with sweet accents reminiscent of red fruits. ... DOCG Oltrepo’ Pavese Metodo Classico Pinot Nero; White sparkling Classic Method Brut; 100% Pinot Noir; Blanc de Noir S.A. Brut; Blind dosage after disgorgement; Aged between 18 and 24 months on the lees."
MEET THE WINERY: Click here to read more background on this family-run estate.
Finally, an excerpt from an article by Walter Speller for JancisRobinson.com, written in summer 2021, says "I have rarely come across an interesting sparkling wine from [Lombardy's Oltrepò Pavese area] ... and when I did I filed the experience under 'exception proving the rule'. Therefore I was quite thrown off balance when I tasted the metodo classico wines from Castello di Cigognola ... Owned by Moratti, a family of entrepreneurs, the team at the property have set themselves the lofty goal of challenging not Franciacorta but Champagne. Their secret weapon is north-facing, mature vineyards of Pinot Noir at elevations of at least 350 m (1,150 ft). Fully ripe grapes are what they are after, something which Oltrepò Pavese routinely delivers year after year, making adding sugar at any stage of the winemaking process unnecessary. The Morattis have taken on board star oenologist Federico Staderini, who among others is responsible for the Poggio di Sotto Brunellos that are extremely elegant even though they are grown in one of Montalcino's warmer areas. And that seems to be the Staderini signature: Oltrepò Pavese can be very warm, but the first releases of Castello di Cigognola do not reflect this in the least. What they show, dare I say it, is that Oltrepò Pavese can be a very good place to produce top Pinot Noirs and not just in sparkling form."