Our Wine Choice: Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Riserva Rosé 2015

Our Wine Choice this week is the latest iteration of Annamaria Clementi Rosé, the rosé expression of Franciacorta producer Ca’ del Bosco’s top cuvee.

The Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Riserva Rosé 2015 is made from 100 percent pinot nero (pinot noir) grapes from a barrel selection of organically farmed vineyards. The grapes go through fermentation and malolactic conversion completely in barrel, before secondary fermentation and about eight years in bottle on the lees before disgorgement.

In contrast to the method of blending in a proportion of red wine to make sparkling rosés, the wine’s salmon-orange color is made by a brief maceration of the grapes before pressing.

I like the wine’s aromatic complexity, full of spices like clove and gingerbread, alongside citrus, honey and dried flowers. Despite the open and inviting aroma profile, it’s a firm and driven expression, with a tight structure and excellent weight as well as bright acidity that will give it long cellaring potential, too. It’s also a terrific gastronomic wine.

2015 saw a warm and dry growing season in Italy’s northern Franciacorta region, including during harvest in August, with smaller berries and more structured wines in general.

While it’s one of the more expensive wines from Franciacorta, you can still find it for well under $200, which makes it more affordable than many top rosé prestige cuvees from Champagne. Maybe something different to pop open during this year’s festive season?

– Claire Nesbitt, Associate Editor