About
this Six-Bottle Sampler:
Some wine trends tend to be a little more apparent than others: You can’t help but have noticed that the size of the sparkling wine section in retail wine stores has expanded in recent years. It comes as no surprise to us: We’ve been advocating for casual sparkling wine consumption for several years now. Its days as a special occasion wine are passé. While there are several reasons behind sparkling wine’s ascension, including the renaissance of the rosé Champagne subgenre—the constant refrain behind our sparkling wine campaign has been its versatility with food. Just take Prosecco—our highest-volume seller. It doesn’t start and stop at the aperitif: It launches the event, moves on to pair with a range of dishes, and serves as a palate refresher throughout the evening.
But Prosecco hardly owns the Boot’s bubbles category: All 20 of Italy’s regions are represented by sparklers, and some are pretty prolific—like Lombardia, for instance, where Piemonte specialist Bruno Giacosa goes to produce an elegant Italian Blanc de Noirs (100 percent Pinot Noir). Then there are the indigenous grapes that show a penchant for the sparkling mode—Piemonte’s Cortese and Sicilia’s Nerello Mascalese. And then, of course, there is the striking and wholly inimitable Movia Puro, which makes méthode Champenoise very personal. Regions, Varietals, Techniques: Italy simply has fun with the category, and, in the process, delivers pretty incredible diversity and exceptional quality.
But we’re not quite finished yet. The Italian table makes room for one very important sparkler outside Italy’s domaine. Many of the producers Sergio visits keep their Champagne of preference on hand. It’s a revered tradition, and one that IWM has always honored. Thus, to “top off” our sampler, we’re sharing this special part of Italian culture with you. We’ve watched with interest the rise of the grower Champagne category, and our house of the moment is Roger Coulon, an artisanal producer that is recognized for its dedication to expressing terroir. An insider house for Champagne aficionados, Roger Cuolon has a special place in ours. This featured sampler includes the house’s Brut Rosé (as aforementioned, this is the darling Champagne of the moment)—it’s a wonderful way to integrate sparkling wine into your everyday experience, and to always have one on hand for guests….both invited and unexpected. |
