It’s easy to say bubbly. Those of the Marchisio Family are organic. More: biodynamic. Wanting to label them: biodynamic sparkling wines, Italy. Piedmontese sparkling wines, from Roero. One blanc de blacs and one rosé. Total: two records. The first Roero Arneis to be sparkling wine. And the first biodynamic Nebbiolo to become bubbly. A perfect tandem, augustday format: explosive freshness, fragrance. And lots of substance. Yep: Italian biodynamic sparkling wines, with an edge. The unmistakable essence of varietal. And character: even 10 years in the bottle before popping the cork.
Really? Of course. The draft (with added sugar and yeast) is made exactly one year after the harvest. Then, bottled and refermented, these made-in-Italy biodynamic super sparkling wines stay on the lees for 8-9 years. Yes: literally stunning bubbles, with something like ten years of seniority. Result? Arneis’ golden fullness, accents, nuances. A sunny richness that never tires. And that – in Nebbiolo – is declined through the unmistakable, elegant verticality of Piedmont’s most emblazoned grape variety. In other words: two outliers, holding up to any occasion. Sumptuous for the aperitif. But also sparkling companions throughout the meal.
Secrets? Care, authenticity. Green dedication – no chemicals – and fidelity to Steiner’s biodynamic magic. Then, of course, the soils. The white Faiv (100% Arneis) comes from the grapes of Mongalletto, a hill overlooking Castellinaldo. The Faiv Rosè (100% Nebbiolo), on the other hand, is “son” of the prestigious Valmaggiore cru, from Vezza d’Alba. The great finesse of these sparkling wines also owes much to the natural characteristics of the terroir: «Both Vezza and Mongalletto have very sandy soils: they are really ideal for giving the wine great lightness and very intense aromas». Qualities that contribute to the unique identity of the Marchisio Family’s biodynamic bubbles.
Something precious, limited in production: a total of 50-60 quintals of grapes, for a maximum of 5-6,000 bottles for the Faiv and as many for the Rosé. The rest, of course, is art: for the bubbles, they are harvested before ripening advances too far. One guarantee: low alcohol content, to the benefit of drinkability. Pure pleasure, under the August sun: a glass in which the absolute naturalness of the wines immediately stands out. It happens, if the essential ingredients are never lacking: the perfect exposures of the vineyards combine with experience and craftsmanship passion. That of a special winery, based on a winning bet: excellence and nature, even in bubbles.
