Courtesy of Ferrari Trento
The Celebrity Sparkle of Ferrari Trento Wines
Ferrari Trento sparkling wines embody luxury and elegance, a perfect fit for Hollywood’s red carpet events. Bottles of Ferrari Classic Brut, the official sparkling wine of this year’s 68th Emmy Awards, were popped, its sparkle and fizz delighted everyone in attendance, from the nominees, winners, and Governors Ball guests, for the second year in a row. Taking its place on the world stage, Ferrari Trentodoc is having its moment in the spotlight. CEO Matteo Lunelli, third generation family owner, came to LA for the festivities, and in addition to the Emmys event, invited wine professionals to join him in a celebration of the Art of Italian Living, a wine luncheon at Wolfgang Puck’s fabulous restaurant in the Hotel Bel Air. It was a chance to taste the premium wines, and see just how versatile and food friendly sparkling wine really is.
Ferrari Trento sparkling wines embody luxury and elegance, a perfect fit for Hollywood’s red carpet events. Bottles of Ferrari Classic Brut, the official sparkling wine of this year’s 68th Emmy Awards, were popped, its sparkle and fizz delighted everyone in attendance, from the nominees, winners, and Governors Ball guests, for the second year in a row. Taking its place on the world stage, Ferrari Trentodoc is having its moment in the spotlight. CEO Matteo Lunelli, third generation family owner, came to LA for the festivities, and in addition to the Emmys event, invited wine professionals to join him in a celebration of the Art of Italian Living, a wine luncheon at Wolfgang Puck’s fabulous restaurant in the Hotel Bel Air. It was a chance to taste the premium wines, and see just how versatile and food friendly sparkling wine really is.
First, a bit of background to set the stage. Cantine Ferrari, the brand, comes from the Trentino region of northeast Italy, hence Trento, and the -doc added to Trento refers to its quality designation, DOC, the first one created in Italy for Metodo Classico wines. Ferrari Trentodoc produces four collections of premium sparkling wines. The Classic Line is their entry level bubbly, a Brut, Rosé, and Demi-Sec. These non-vintage wines are crafted with the same care as their more prestigious bottlings, and aged for at least 2 years on their lees. The Maximum Line is tailored to restaurants, the Brut, Rosé, and Demi-Sec are delicate and rounded wines that are versatile with food, aged for at least 3 years on their lees. The Perlé Line, Brut, Rosé, and Nero, are single vintage wines made from fruit grown in the Lunelli’s own vineyards, and aged for at least six years in their cellars. And, at the top of the quality pyramid, the Riserva Line, the Ferrari Riserva Lunelli and Giulio Ferrari, both made only in the best vintages.
The Ferrari brand dates back over a century, founded in 1902, when Giulio Ferrari realized the potential for excellent sparkling wine from the mountainous Trento terrain. Inspired by Champagne, Giulio produced his wines in the same fashion, pioneering the use of Chardonnay in Italian sparkling wines that were bottle fermented and aged in cellars. With such dedication to quality, Ferrari wines immediately caught the world’s attention, and won numerous awards, able to stand glass to glass with the best French Champagne. But, with no heirs to carry on his legacy, in 1952, Giulio chose his friend, Bruno Lunelli, a Trento wine merchant, to continue his label. Generations of the Lunelli family since have expanded and improved the brand, pouring the same passion into these sparkling wines as Giulio did. In fact, last year, Ferrari was awarded “Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year” at The Champagne and Sparkling Wine world Championships, surging past renowned Champagne producers Heidsieck and Roederer. a testament to their world-class bubbles. Nine gold medals were awarded to their various wines, with the “Best Italian Sparkling Wine” given to the Ferrari Perlé 2006 Trentodoc. And just a few weeks ago, Ferrari’s Classic Brut was crowned “World Champion Sparkling Wine” for the Blanc de Blancs category at the same competition.
The Ferrari brand dates back over a century, founded in 1902, when Giulio Ferrari realized the potential for excellent sparkling wine from the mountainous Trento terrain. Inspired by Champagne, Giulio produced his wines in the same fashion, pioneering the use of Chardonnay in Italian sparkling wines that were bottle fermented and aged in cellars. With such dedication to quality, Ferrari wines immediately caught the world’s attention, and won numerous awards, able to stand glass to glass with the best French Champagne. But, with no heirs to carry on his legacy, in 1952, Giulio chose his friend, Bruno Lunelli, a Trento wine merchant, to continue his label. Generations of the Lunelli family since have expanded and improved the brand, pouring the same passion into these sparkling wines as Giulio did. In fact, last year, Ferrari was awarded “Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year” at The Champagne and Sparkling Wine world Championships, surging past renowned Champagne producers Heidsieck and Roederer. a testament to their world-class bubbles. Nine gold medals were awarded to their various wines, with the “Best Italian Sparkling Wine” given to the Ferrari Perlé 2006 Trentodoc. And just a few weeks ago, Ferrari’s Classic Brut was crowned “World Champion Sparkling Wine” for the Blanc de Blancs category at the same competition.
Matteo Lunelli, CEO of Ferrari Trento
Greeted with a glass of the Ferrari Perlé Brut, you’re impressed with its tiny bubbles, and delicate aromas and flavors of apples, citrus, white peach, a touch of white flowers, and lightly toasted bread. This 2007 sparkler is sleek and refined, due to its Chardonnay character, a hint of almond on the long finish brings it together, and so fresh, despite being 9 years old. Appetizers circulated around, notably Puck’s signature Salmon Pizza, Uni canapes, and Kobe Beef sliders, holy smokes, so delicious! Matteo Lunelli gathered us to the table, where he shared what makes his family’s sparkling wines so special.
Lunelli noted, “We don’t want to be a copy of Champagne, we have different terroir. We use the same method, but we are strongly different. Ferrari is an expression of the mountain viticulture of Trentino, as Champagne is an expression of a very unique region in France”. He added, “The style of our wine is really strongly linked to the characteristic of these mountains, because we cultivate our grapes on the slopes of the mountains, where there is a very unique climate and terroir. During the day, you get this nice warm sun, we have a Mediterranean climate, but during the night, the cold air comes down from the top of the mountain. This shift in temperature enables our grapes to maintain acidity, and to develop aromatic maturation.” And indeed, as we continued to taste through the wines, you could get a sense of these Italian Alps, the crisp mountain air mirrored in the wine.
Next up, the Ferrari Perlé Rosé, 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Nero (Noir), is all about raspberries and rose petals, accented with biscuit and candied orange notes. A bit more structured than the Brut, due to the Pinot Nero, hints of spice, almonds and yeast are woven throughout the persistent finish. As the first course was served, the fuller and more complex Ferrari Perlé Nero, 100% Pinot Nero, was poured, richer in its aromas and flavors, with a mineral edge, citrus tang, and toast. It really complimented the Wild Field Mushroom Tortelloni topped with Black Truffles, delicate yet structured enough to pair with this amazing dish! My choice of entrée, the Miso Marinated Alaskan Black Cod with Baby Bok Choy, Pea Tendril Salad, and Snap Peas, actually seemed a better match with the Perlé Brut, although both were enjoyable with the dish.
Lunelli noted, “We don’t want to be a copy of Champagne, we have different terroir. We use the same method, but we are strongly different. Ferrari is an expression of the mountain viticulture of Trentino, as Champagne is an expression of a very unique region in France”. He added, “The style of our wine is really strongly linked to the characteristic of these mountains, because we cultivate our grapes on the slopes of the mountains, where there is a very unique climate and terroir. During the day, you get this nice warm sun, we have a Mediterranean climate, but during the night, the cold air comes down from the top of the mountain. This shift in temperature enables our grapes to maintain acidity, and to develop aromatic maturation.” And indeed, as we continued to taste through the wines, you could get a sense of these Italian Alps, the crisp mountain air mirrored in the wine.
Next up, the Ferrari Perlé Rosé, 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Nero (Noir), is all about raspberries and rose petals, accented with biscuit and candied orange notes. A bit more structured than the Brut, due to the Pinot Nero, hints of spice, almonds and yeast are woven throughout the persistent finish. As the first course was served, the fuller and more complex Ferrari Perlé Nero, 100% Pinot Nero, was poured, richer in its aromas and flavors, with a mineral edge, citrus tang, and toast. It really complimented the Wild Field Mushroom Tortelloni topped with Black Truffles, delicate yet structured enough to pair with this amazing dish! My choice of entrée, the Miso Marinated Alaskan Black Cod with Baby Bok Choy, Pea Tendril Salad, and Snap Peas, actually seemed a better match with the Perlé Brut, although both were enjoyable with the dish.
Ending on a high note, the Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore 2002 was poured to accompany the cheese plate, the pinnacle of Ferrari’s sparkling wines. Made of Chardonnay fruit from Maso Pianizza, a mountain “cru" vineyard surrounded by woodlands, this sparkling wine is an homage to the founder, a realization of Giulio's dream. Aged for over 10 years on its lees, golden and complex with tropical fruit notes, hazelnut, spice, honey, and a mineral edge, textured with a touch of creaminess alongside the exquisite bubbles, and a bit more heft than the younger wines, this is a reserve wine with a lot of life left. Highly rated by wine critics, Giulio Ferrari Riserva fulfills the promise of a world-class sparkling wine, remaining fresh and elegant while evolving from fruit forward to intense and complex.
Lunelli, looking to the future, plans to continue their relationship with the Emmys, seeing it as a great opportunity to grow the brand, to be the ambassador of Italian life. “We want to represent the Italian art of living”, Lunelli said. And so, with Ferrari’s history of innovation and tradition in the realm of sparkling wines, the third generation of the Lunelli family continues its stewardship of the brand, crafting some of the best bubbly wines in the world. Award yourself the best in class and pop the cork on the wine of the Emmys, the Ferrari Classic Brut, which is widely available and affordable enough to drink everyday. The Perlé and Riserva wines are more distinctive, certainly the jewels of Ferrari Trentodoc, yet more scarce, but they can be found at specialty wine shops in your area.
Lunelli, looking to the future, plans to continue their relationship with the Emmys, seeing it as a great opportunity to grow the brand, to be the ambassador of Italian life. “We want to represent the Italian art of living”, Lunelli said. And so, with Ferrari’s history of innovation and tradition in the realm of sparkling wines, the third generation of the Lunelli family continues its stewardship of the brand, crafting some of the best bubbly wines in the world. Award yourself the best in class and pop the cork on the wine of the Emmys, the Ferrari Classic Brut, which is widely available and affordable enough to drink everyday. The Perlé and Riserva wines are more distinctive, certainly the jewels of Ferrari Trentodoc, yet more scarce, but they can be found at specialty wine shops in your area.