Quite aromatic with peach, apricot, honeycomb and acacia flowers. The palate is surprisingly dry, crisp, and refreshing with notes of citrus, slightly under-ripe peach, honeysuckle and kumquat. The palate is round with a creamy mousse.

WINE INFORMATION

Ercole and Angela Velenosi founded Cantine Velenosi in 1984 in the Piceno region near the city of Ancona in Le Marche on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Their vineyards sit atop hills that stretch down to the sea, with a variety of sandy and clay-based soils. All 140 hectares (ha) are farmed sustainably.

 Passerina takes its name from the fact that sparrows (“passeri” in Italian) show a particular interest for this type of grape due to its tasty flavor and for the small dimension of its berries. This variety is particularly suitable for sparkling wines using the Charmat method (“spumantizzazione” in Italian) thanks to its rich aromatic properties and high acidity. Velenosi started making this wine in 2007.

Grapes come from 15-20 year-old vines planted mostly in sandy soils. After harvest, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks after a 4-day maceration on the skins. The carbonation is achieved using the Charmat Method for an extended time, in which the bubbles are created in a large tank (instead of in the bottle) by secondary fermentation. The wine spends 90 days on the lees for a creamier mousse and rounder palate.

Brunch Foods, Charcuterie, Cheese, Dessert (fruit), East Asian (Chinese/Japanese/Korean), Fish (white), Fondue, Hors d'oeuvres, Just for Cocktailing, Perfect Aperitif , Shellfish, Sushi, Tapas