February Sweet Club

saracco-moscato-enSweet Wine ClubPaolo Saracco
Moscato d’Asti
Castiglione Tinella, Piedmont, Italy

NECTAR WINE STYLE

Moscato d’Asti is an indigenous aromatic wine characterized by orange, peach and lime notes, with a sweet taste rich in minerals. In color, it is straw yellow with greenish hues, fine perlage, and a slow fermentation index. On the nose it has intense orange blossom, peach and thyme flavors. The taste is intense, elegant, and lingering. The sweet sensations are well balanced with a pleasant acidity with fruity aromas — typical of Muscat grapes.

Food Pairing Recommendations: Ideal with pastries, cakes, fruit tarts, ice cream, biscuits. Also delicious with cheeses such as gorgonzola and in cocktails.

WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section pair well with an herbal cheese, such as a gorgonzola. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.

Varietal: Moscato Bianco Canelli
Vineyards: Located in Castiglione Tinella, Santo Stefano Belbo, Castagnole Lanze, Colosso
Vinification:
After harvesting, the bunches are gently pressed to extract the most flavorful juice from the outermost part of the grapes. The must is kept in stainless steel containers at -3°C, where it can be kept for months. When there is market demand, it is then transferred into autoclaves for temperature-controlled fermentation, micro-filtered for purity and then bottled to keep the freshness and flavors intact.

Saracco Vineyards

© Photo by Saracco Winery

VINEYARDS:
A real winemaker knows how to identify plots of land in the best areas. Over the years the Paolo Saracco winery has bought vineyards in the areas around Castiglione Tinella, Santo Stefano Belbo, Castagnole Lanze and Calosso. On their 50 hectares, grapes are grown sustainably in harmony with nature and with attention to changes in the climate throughout the year. Moscato grapes are full of aroma: all processing steps in the winery are done to maintain and preserve their flavors.

ABOUT THE WINERY:
In the heart of the Moscato d’Asti, the Saracco family has produced this aromatic wine in this area since the early 1900s and cultivated their own vineyards, which is an important part of the process, creating a link with the ideal terrain for growing Moscato grapes. With the support of their founder Luigi Saracco, a family of winemakers put their aromatic Moscato wine on the market, selling wine in bulk in the spring to companies producing Vermouth. Today, the passion and professionalism shown in previous decades are continued by Paolo Saracco, Giovanni’s son and current owner, who decided to start bottling Moscato after studying oenology. And so, the ‘Paolo Saracco’ label was born. This idea has allowed wine lovers in Italy and across the globe to discover a hugely aromatic, balanced Moscato d’Asti. To learn more about the Saracco Winery, click here.


Rosso Dolce BottleSonoroso
Rosso Dolce
Trentino, Italy

NECTAR WINE STYLE

The Rosso Dolce (Sweet Red Wine) is brilliant ruby red in color. On the nose, delicate scents of plum and violet compliment the aromas of red fruits and sweet spice. The taste is fresh vibrant and slightly frizzante, with notes of blackberry and cherry for a sensuous taste. It finishes with a touch of sweetness.

Food Pairing Recommendations:
Pleasantly refreshing and food-friendly; pairs well with flavorful dishes and spicy cuisine, or even your favorite dessert! Serve chilled.

WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section pair well with an herbal cheese, such as a gorgonzola. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.

Analysis: 7% alcohol / volume
Varietals: Teroldego, Marzemino, Merlot
Appellation: Trevenezie IGT
Residual Sugar: 100 g/I
TA: 5.30 g/l
Vinification: Each varietal is manually harvested at the perfect ripeness to preserve aromas and freshness. Following de-stemming, the juice is kept in contact with the grape skin for several days at low temperatures (cold maceration) to extract the fruit’s aroma and color. Then a partial fermentation is done at low temperature to preserve the natural sweetness, the fruity character and the fizzy style.

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Sonoroso is an irresistible, delicately sweet line of wines from Northern Italy. It makes a wonderful aperitif and is also incredibly food-friendly with a variety of dishes. Learn more here.

Sonoroso

© Photo by Sonoroso Wine

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January Sweet Club

Sweet Wine ClubAntech EspritAntech
Esprit de Bulles
Limoux, France

NECTAR WINE STYLE

This Cuvée offers a unique taste and is a local symbol, allied to traditions and history of Limoux. Its straw yellow color with swirling bubbles and sparkling reflections is already a call to party. The palate is lively with the sensation of biting into apples and grapes. Honey, scents of acacia and very ripe pear notes bring softness and voluptuousness. Serve chilled at 41- 43 °F. 

Food Pairing Recommendations: Its lightness and freshness are ideal as an aperitif or to accompany desserts with apples, pancakes, fruit pies and French King cakes.

WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section pair well with an herbal cheese, such as a gorgonzola. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.

Analysis: 6.5% alcohol / volume
Varietal: 100% Mauzac
Residual Sugars: 80 g/L
Vinification:
All grapes are handpicked, carried to the fermenting room in cases of at most 660 pounds, and then immediately pressed pneumatically. The juices selected are then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats set at low temperatures. The juices are then fermented until they reach a degree of 5 percent alcohol content. Effervescence is produced by the Méthode Ancestrale using only the natural residual sugars in the juice after the first fermentation in their temperature controlled cellars (57°F) over a 14 week period. Effervescence occurs and the alcohol content rises to 6-7 percent.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
Hillsides and terraces have gently sloping clay-limestone soil with Mediterranean climate and an oceanic influence. The vine age is on average 20 to 40 years old and y
ields less than 50 hectares. To move further ahead in their quest for finesse and elegance, the Antech Winery conducts advanced experiments on the vines. In their family vineyard, they try out new methods on their old vine-stocks on the appellation’s highest land — stony, south-facing hillsides nearly 400m above sea level, opposite to the Pyrenees. To learn more about the Antech Vineyards, click here.

© Photo by Antech Winery

© Photo by Antech Winery

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Family owned and independent for six generations, The Antech Estate dedicates itself to the elaboration of Sparkling wines in Limoux’s legendary sparkling area. The Antech Estate distinguishes itself with their distinctive style – from the elegance of its bubbles to the commitment of its action. To learn more about Antech Winery’s history and their team, click here.


Les_Arroucats_Cuvee_VirginieChâteau Les Arroucats
Cuvée Virginie
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, France

NECTAR WINE STYLE

A fleshy, powerful, elegant wine with beautiful aromas and a good length. To drink now as an apéritif, with fat liver, poultry or apricot tarts; or to lay down for 5 years.

WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section pair well with an herbal cheese, such as a gorgonzola. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.

Analysis:
13.5% alcohol / volume
Varietal: 87% Sémillon, 10% Sauvignon, 3% Muscadelle
Harvesting: Hand picked by successive sorting 
Yields: 35 hl/ha
Winemaking: Traditional winemaking in cement and stainless steel vats
Aging: In vats during one to two years
Annual Production: 20,000 bottles per year for this cuvée

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The Vineyard sits on about 22 hectares of land. The soil is on a panoramic plateau composed of fossilized oysters, located at 110 meters from the sea – called Clayey-calcareous soils. The average age of the vines is about 40 years old.

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Located in the district of Sainte Croix Du Mont, the estate was created after the war by Mr. Labat. From 1990 to 2000, his daughter, Annie Lapouge committed to develop and modernize the estate. Annie’s daughter, Mme Virginie Barbe now runs the estate.

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