Ferrari’s millesimato metodo classico is 100 percent Chardonnay grown in the calcium-rich soils of the Dolomites. The wine spends 50 months en tirage prior to disgorgement. I was a guest at the winery in Trento in 2013, and remain amazed that they can produce an estate blanc de blancs, age it this long on lees, and release it in the U.S. for the price of commodity NV champagne.
The author in Ferrari’s Chardonnay vineyard in Trento; fruit is trained using traditional pergola trellising
The 2014 (not yet released in the U.S.) is moony yellow with a jittery bead. Aromatically it’s mineral-rich, saline, like water on crushed shells, and although there are faint notes of yellow citrus, mostly it feels about savoriness and salt. The palate is likewise crackly, salted, toasty but not nutty. The dosage feels correct, amplifying the body without distracting the tongue with sweetness.
Pair this wine with snacks and celebrations.
2014 Ferrari Perlé Trento DOC
12.5% abv | about $38 (sample); imported by Taub Family Selections
Disgorged 2019
