This is based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

N.V. Bolla Prosecco Extra Dry

N.V. Bolla Sparkling Rosé Extra Dry

2013 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale

Overview:

These wines, while not produced by Banfi, were imported into the United States by the company. Banfi is the importer/distributor of over 30 different labels from around the world. While the majority of these labels are from Italy, they also work with wineries in Australia, Chile, Spain and even a couple of American wineries.

These samples arrived just in time to accompany me on a vacation to South Carolina. I looked forward to trying them in the warm South Carolina evenings before dinner.

About the company:

Banfi is a private concern, founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr. and today owned and operated by his grandchildren. The company is focused on the production and import of wine.

Banfi Vintners is the sole U.S. importer of the Mariani family’s internationally renowned wine estates in Italy: Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Banfi Piemonte of Strevi, Piedmont. Banfi also imports the wines of several other producers, including category leaders Bolla, Cecchi, Florio, Fontana Candida, Placido, Riunite, and Sartori from Italy, Concha y Toro and Emiliana from Chile, and Trivento from Argentina, Wisdom & Warter Sherries from Spain and Stone’s Ginger wine from England. The company has ranked as North America’s leading wine importer for more than three decades.

Banfi’s success has enabled the company to play a broad philanthropic role through the Banfi Foundation. The Foundation provided seed money to help Catholic Relief Services build a technical school and an orphanage as well as an 800-unit housing project in Potenza, Italy, where thousands were left homeless after a devastating earthquake in the early 1980s. It also generously endows select charities and universities around the world, and sponsors annual scholastic tours to study the food and wine culture of Italy.

Banfi is led today by two grandchildren of the founder: James Mariani and Cristina Mariani-May, who share the title of co-CEO. Their fathers, Chairman Emeritus Dr. John F. Mariani and President Emeritus Harry F. Mariani, continue as active counsel to the executive committee and are members of the firm’s advisory board. Banfi’s world headquarters is a 60-room Elizabethan manor located on a 127-acre estate and vineyard in Old Brookville, New York.

Here is the line up for this tasting:

Banfi Sparkling Wines

N.V. Bolla Prosecco Extra Dry – SRP $13

This sparkling wine is made from 100% Glera grapes which were formerly known as Prosecco. The grapes were grown in mixed clay vineyards in Treviso which is north of Venice. The grapes were both hand and machine harvested. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks.

This wine has 11% alcohol by volume and 13 g/l of residual sugar.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow to straw color. The enjoyable nose has apples, pears, lime zest, chalky minerals, some nuttiness and a hint of fresh baked bread. This has a light body with small persistent bubbles and just a hint of lingering sweetness. This is crisp and clean on the palate with nice length on the finish with lingering minerals and almonds to go with the fruit and nice sweetness. This is an easy to drink, value priced sparkling wine. (89 pts)

NV Bolla Prosecco Extra Dry

N.V. Bolla Sparkling Rosé Extra Dry – SRP $13

This sparkling wine is made from a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Raboso. The grapes are from hillside vineyards in Trevigiano.

The grapes are gently crushed and pressed then quickly separated from the pumice to avoid imparting too much color on the young must. After the first temperature controlled fermentation, the base wine undergoes a second fermentation in closed pressure tanks for the “prise de mousse,” resulting in a fully-sparkling wine.

This wine has 11% alcohol by volume.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright pink to salmon color. The appealing nose has cherries, strawberries, minerals, citrus zest and orange blossoms. The wine has a light body with loads of small bubbles, crisp acidity and some light lingering sweetness. On the palate tart cherries, minerals and citrus zest hit first with a touch of spice coming in on the back end. This has decent length with some lingering sweetness. This would be a crowd pleaser of an easy drinker on a warm afternoon. (87 pts)

NV Bolla Sparkling Rosé Extra Dry

2013 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale – SRP $20

This red sparkling wine is made from 100% Brachetto grapes from Acqui Terme, Piedmont, Italy.

For this wine the grapes are fermented with brief contact with the skins. Following fermentation the wine is filtered and stored 32°F. Refermentation is in stainless-steel vats, after which the wine is bottled immediately.

This sparkler has 7% alcohol by volume and should be served chilled.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, transparent red color. The fresh and fruity nose has candied cherries, strawberries, subtle earthiness and rose water. This has a light body with nice acidity and a fair amount of residual sweetness. The wine pours with a nice mousse and the pinpoint bubbles are relentless. On the palate the sweet fruit grabs your attention and refuses to let go. The finish has decent length and again is totally fruit driven. This is an off dry to sweet sparkling wine that would be a hit at a party where the wine is not the center of attention or as an after dinner sipper with friends beside a platter of dark chocolate. Between the acidity and the persistent bubbles this easily avoids becoming cloyingly sweet. (86 pts)

2013 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale

Closing Thoughts

This tasting provided a very nice variety of sparkling wines. The two from Bolla would be perfect to sip on a warm afternoon, as an aperitif or with lighter foods. The Rosa Regale provides more sweetness and could serve as a lighter dessert wine with a platter of cheese or dark chocolate.

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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.