Tasting Notes: The fruit for this beautiful sparkling wine comes from a September green harvest of young vine Nebbiolo from Sergio's holdings in the Barolo crus Prapò and Cerretta. After gentle ... pressing, the wine is fermented in a mix of 80% stainless steel tanks and 20% used barrels until the March following the harvest, when the wine is bottled to undergo a second fermentation. After eighteen months on the lees, the bottles are disgorged and topped up with the same wine (no liqueur de dosage is used). In the glass, the wine is the color of rose gold, with flashes of pale copper towards the edge. Wild raspberry, yellow peach, red licorice and rose petals emerge on the nose, followed by pomegranate, clementine, and fresh pastry dough, as the wine spends time in the glass. On the palate, the wine is zippy and refreshing, yet with a polished and creamy mousse. Orchard and red berry fruit flavors echo the nose throughout a persistent sea-spray-mineral finish. Drink now-2028 with nearly any cuisine you can imagine. Read More
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Since 1856, the Germanos have farmed vineyards in Cerretta, one of Serralunga d’Alba’s most prestigious Crus. Francesco Germano, Sergio’s great grandfather, and his grandfather, Alberto, sold the grapes to friends and neighbors. His father, Ettore, for whom the estate is named, was the first to sell wine in bottles. But Sergio was the first to bottle the entire production of the estate, beginning in 1993. He is the perfect example of a modern, scientifically trained winegrower who is grounded in the traditions of his region. His goal, he says, is to express in his wines the character of each vineyard, of each grape variety, and of each vintage, as well as the “connection between Sergio Germano and Serralunga d’Alba.”
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The wines of Piemonte are noted as far back as Pliny's Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piemonte was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piemontese with little incentive to expand production. Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine - most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally. In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a French woman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour - later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy - this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont. The DOCs of Langhe, Langhe Bianco and Langhe Rosso were created in the 1993 revision to the DOC regulations. They are "open" appellations that encompass most of Alba and the Roero and allows liberal blending of traditional varietals and measured use of non-traditional varietals without aging requirements.
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The Nebbiolo grape has played a prominent role in Piemontese wine production, since at least the 13thCentury. Known primarily as the grape of Barolo and Barbaresco wines, Nebbiolo is also a main varietal in Roero, Lessona, Ghemme, Gattinara, Valtellina, and Franciacorta wines. Nebbiolo vines are late-budding, late-ripening, and can be finicky throughout growing season, so the production of high quality grapes requires careful vineyard management on the part of the grower.
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Grilled, olive oil-laced seafood, whole-roasted fish, as well at pastas with diced tomato and herbs work very well with this wine. It also loves cow and sheep-milk cheeses.
