Tasted at Vinitaly: Carpenè Malvolti

I have always enjoyed Carpenè Malvolti's wines, and make a point of stopping at their stand during Vinitaly to taste both their Prosecco and their Arte della Spumantistica wines, wines made form other grapes (and from other regions) that are quite interesting and quite enjoyable.

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvée Brut Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2011
Residual sugar 11 g/liter
Pale brassy white with fine perlage. The bouquet is crisp, with bright green apple and green apple acidity bolstered by some sweetness. Fairly bright. On the palate it's it is bright, with lively fresh apple fruit supported by slightly bitter mineral accents that flow into a fairly mineral finish. It's quite approachable, fresh, and easy to drink.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvée Extra Dry Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco 2011
Residual sugar 15 g/liter
Brassy gold with white rim, and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with freshly cut Golden Delicious apple and some fresh savory notes, and also sour apple acidity that provides a counterpoint. On the palate it's ample and fresh, with fairly sweet fresh bright Delicious apple fruit supported by some apple acidity and underlying minerality. Quite approachable in a simple, direct key, and will be a fine summer wine.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Cartizze 2011
Dry, Residual sugar 21 g/liter
Pale brassy yellow with greenish reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fresh and fairly sweet with Golden Delicious apples supported by sweetness and some creamy accents. Inviting in a fairly soft key. On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with rich sweet Golden Delicious apple fruit supported by Golden Delicious acidity and by pleasant creaminess from the sparkle. Quite approachable, and will be very pleasant as a summer wine to drink with friends in the evening as the stars come out, or even at poolside.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Cuvée Oro DOCG 2011
Dry, Residual sugar 24 g/liter
Brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich and rather ripe, with ripe Golden Delicious apples mingled with some greenish accents and delicate sugars. On the palate it's full and fairly sweet, with pleasant Golden Delicious fruit supported by fairly bright Golden Delicious acidity and some mineral accents that flow into a fairly long mineral finish. Pleasant, in a bright, rich key; it's a little fuller and softer than the Cartizze, and which you prefer is up to you. I rather liked the definition of the Cartizze.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvée 1868 Vino Spumante Brut
This is a Metodo Charmat, and spent 9 months on the lees in tank. Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is deft, and rather savory, with crisp apple fruit that has some white pear accents and slight gunflint supported by moderate mineral acidity. On the palate it's deft and savory, with fairly bright dried apple fruit supported by clean mineral acidity and by a clean, smooth, slightly peppery sparkle. It's quite fresh, and will drink very well as an aperitif or with fush.
88-90

Carpenè Malvolti Kerner Brut 2011
Pale brassy white with greenish reflections and brilliant brassy highlights, while the perlage is fine. The bouquet is elegant, with rich rather sweet loquat and apricot fruit supported by refreshing coolness and some savory notes. On the palate it's fresh, with lively minerality and dried apple/green apricot fruit supported by moderately intense minerality with some gunflint accents that flow into a sweet rather flinty finish in which savory notes accompany the fruit. It's a little riper and richer than some vintages of Kerner have been, and this is vintage variation at work.
90

Carpenè Malvolti Gevürztraminer Brut 2011
Pale greenish white with greenish reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fresh, with strawberry and yellow peaches mingled with pleasant floral accents and some underlying minerality and sea salt. On the palate it's bright and creamy, with languid rose laced yellow fruit supported by fairly bright mineral acidity that flows into a long, fresh floral finish with underlying bitter accents. Quite refreshing and is a wine one could drink as an aperitif or serve with the meal. It's a little fresher than the Kerner.
90

Carpenè Malvolti Rosé Cuvée Brut 2011
This is Pinot Nero and Raboso, and is pale rose petal pink tending towards onionskin with white rim and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with raspberry and some forest berry fruit by cool refreshingly flinty minerality and some spice. On the palate it's deft, with delicate red berry fruit -- cassis with some blackberry -- supported by clean mineral acidity that flows into a fairly long mineral laced finish with some savory accents. Deft, and will work very well as an aperitif or with the meal.
90-91

Carpenè Malvolti Millesimato Metodo Classico Brut 2007
This is Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grapes grown in Trentino, which spent 24 months on the lees. Brassy gold with brilliant greenish highlights and brassy reflections, while the perlage is fine and steady. Deft bouquet with fairly intense minerality laced with gunflint and warm citric notes, also some vegetal accents and some wet bread crumbs, peppery spice, and leesy notes. On the palate it's full, and quite mineral, with creaminess from the sparkle and delicate citric accents, while there is some peppery spice from the sparkle, and it flows into a clean mineral finish.
2 stars