Roberto Sarotto, 'Alta Langa Metodo Classico Dosaggio Zero', 2018, Alta Langa (DOCG)

'One-Liner'
An elegant and beautifully refined Italian sparkling wine, with delicate citrus, white blossom and toasted brioche, wrapped in fine, creamy bubbles and a wonderfully fresh, mineral finish.

Tasting Note
Bright straw yellow in the glass, with a fine, persistent stream of delicate bubbles. The nose is beautifully expressive, bringing together fresh citrus, ripe orchard fruits and delicate floral notes, with subtle hints of chamomile, toasted brioche and honey. On the palate, the wine is wonderfully poised, combining crisp lemon and green apple with a soft, creamy texture developed through extended ageing on its lees. Elegant and complex, with vibrant acidity and a gentle savoury character that brings lovely depth without sacrificing freshness. The finish is long, beautifully dry and subtly mineral, leaving a lingering impression of citrus zest and toasted pastry.

Country: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Sub-Region: Alta Langa DOCG
Grape(s): 100% Chardonnay
ABV: 12.5%
Friendly: n/a

Awards & Critics' Scores
Luca Maroni 2024 – 94/100

The Story
The Sarotto family's winemaking history stretches all the way back to 1820, when Giuseppe Sarotto moved from Barbaresco to Neviglie, in the heart of Piedmont's beautiful Langhe hills, and began producing Dolcetto for local markets and export to England. Generations later, following a difficult period for the family business during the 1940s, Roberto Sarotto breathed new life into the estate in 1984, drawing on his studies at Alba's renowned winemaking school to develop a modern winery with an impressive respect for its heritage. Today, the family works vineyards across some of Piedmont's most celebrated wine regions, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Gavi and Alta Langa. Their 2018 Alta Langa Metodo Classico is a wonderful example of the region's growing reputation for exceptional traditional-method sparkling wines. Made entirely from Chardonnay grown in the elevated hills of Piedmont, the grapes benefit from cooler growing conditions and calcareous, clay-rich soils, helping to develop their characteristic freshness and elegance. Following fermentation in stainless steel, the wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle before resting on its lees in the estate's oldest underground cellar for a minimum of 30 months, developing delicate bubbles, creamy texture and subtle notes of toasted pastry. Produced without the addition of a sweetening dosage, this beautifully expressive sparkling wine allows the purity of its fruit and the distinctive character of Alta Langa to shine through, offering a wonderfully sophisticated alternative to Champagne.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Sea bass with artichokes
- Vegetarian: Baked celeriac with wild mushrooms, thyme and hazelnuts
- Vegan: Roast cauliflower steaks with almond, lemon and parsley dressing