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

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 (their fist wines, and still the bulk of their wines) and their Arte della Spumantistica wines, wines made primarily from other grapes (and from other regions).

Their Prosecco is a solid interpretation of the varietal, which is consistent from vintage to vintage and quite pleasant to drink, especially if you find the higher acidities that generally are associated with Champagne or some of the other more "serious" sparkling wines a bit much, while the latter are quite interesting and quite enjoyable.


Carpenè Malvolti Cuvee Brut 2010
Pale papery white with fine intense perlage. The bouquet is fresh, with savory notes and some fresh floral accents, and hints of apple as well. Nice balance. On the palate it's bright, with lively apple fruit supported by fairly bright apple acidity and by the sparkle, which confers a lively fullness. Quite approachable, and will drink nicely either as an aperitif or throughout a meal built around cheeses (risotti and such), fish, or white meats.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvee Storica 2010
This is their classic Prosecco; it's pale brassy white with brassy reflections and intense perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with apples and slight crisp sweetness that gives the apples a granny smith cast, and some acidity as well. Nice balance and inviting. On the palate it's bright, and moderately sweet, with fairly rich apple fruit that gains creaminess from the sparkle, and support from deft granny smith apple acidity, and flows into a clean fresh apple finish with underlying sweetish minerality. Quite approachable, and will work very well as an aperitif. It's a little more languid than the cuvee brut, and a touch sweeter, and as a result is perhaps less suited to the table. 2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvee Oro Prosecco Dry 2010
Brassy white with fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fairly sweet, with delicious apples and some mentholated spice, supported by some sugars. On the palate it's full and fairly sweet, with delicious apples supported by sparkle, which confers creaminess, and apple acidity that flows into a fairly long clean apple laced finish. Its quite approachable in a sweeter key -- that's what Dry is -- and will work well as an aperitif if you prefer somewhat sweeter wines, or with friends at poolside or in the evening as the stars come out. It's not, to my way of thinking, as well suited to being drunk with a meal.
1 star

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Petit Manseng Brut 2010
Ale brassy white with brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fresh, with floral accents and some savory notes mingled with slight savory notes. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich bitter minerality supported by some honeysuckle and slight orange peel with hints of candied orange bitterness, and it flows into a clean savory finish. Approachable, in a fairly delicate key, and will be a pleasant aperitif, while it will also work well with delicately flavored dishes throughout a meal.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Viognier Brut 2010
Pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim, and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with delicate citrus laced acidity -- oranges and hints tangerine -- supported by airiness and some herbal accents. On the palate it's fairly rich, and though brut not bone dry; there's moderately intense lemony fruit supported by warmth and minerality, and creaminess form sparkle, which flow into a fairly long orange and tangerine finish witl underlying minerality. It will be nice as an aperitif or with the meal, working well with fish and also delicate white meats.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Cerszegy Brut 2010
Brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim, and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fresh and rich, with elegant lemony fruit supporte dby peppery notes and a certain airiness that is also the sparkle, and by some floral accents as well. On the palate it's full and fairly rich, with clean bright mienrlaity and some candied orange peel with the bitterness that comes from the caramelization of the sugars, and pleasant savory underpinning that carries through into the finish, which is fairly loing and rather peppery. Quite enjoyable, and will work well as an aperitif or with grilled fish, inclusing fattier fish such as salmon.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Kerner Brut 2010
Pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is rich, with floral accents and white berry fruit supported by deft white berry fruit acidity and some sweet notes; it's quite pleasant and very fresh. On the palate it's rich, with powerful apple fruit laced with some loquat acidity and supported by clean minerality, while the sparkle confers a pleasant fullness, and it flows into a clean bright berry fruit finish with slight peppery notes from the sparkle and sea salt that leaves one wanting another sip. Quite pleasant and will work beautifully as an aperitif or throughout the meal. Quite enjoyable.
88-90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Rosato Brut 2010
Pale pink with salmon reflections, white rim and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is delicate, with some red berry fruit and moderate mineral acidity; it's quick to write but quite harmonious and pleasant. On the palate it's ample, and rich, with fresh raspberry fruit supported by pleasant mineral acidity and by sparkle, which confers fullness, while the finish is long and mineral, leaving the palate quite clean. It's quite approachable and will work very well as an aperitif, and also throughout the meal; expect people to like it and ask for more.
90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Cuvée 1868 Brut 2010
This is a special wine developed for Italy's 150th anniversary, from Prosecco, Verdiso, Boschera, Pinot Bianco and Incrocio Manzoni. It's brassy white with bright brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is intense and complex, with citrus -- orange -- and apple fruit mingled with spice and some minerality, and some greenish vegetal accents as well. Nice depth and pleasingly complex in a young key. On the palate it's full, with bright mineral laced apple fruit that gains direction from some sour lemon acidity and is supported by creamy pepperiness form sparkle, and flows into a clean bright sour aplle finish with underlying peppery notes and sea salt. Pleasant, and will work nicely as an aperitif or with the meal; it's not quite as bright as some of the others but displays a little more depth.
88-90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Gewürztraminer Brut 2010
Brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with fairly rich floral accents supported by slight sea salt and deft acidity. Quite refreshing. On the palate it's fairly full, with delicate lemony fruit supported by pleasant minerality and some greenish accents that flow into a fairly long lemony finish with greenish mineral underpinning. It's quite approachable, and very much alive thanks to its acidity, and will drink nicely as an apritif or with flavorful fish, including salmon, or also creamy dishes, and if you wanted to do something decidedly adventurous you moght serve it with fried fish and vegetables.
90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Cartizze 2010
Cartizze is the finest hill in Prosecco, and it is in a way surprising that Carpenè Malvolti waited so long to bring out their wine from the hillside's vineyards. It's pale papery yellow with brassy reflections and very fine very intense perlage, and has an elegant bouquet with apples laced with some crisp notes and slight apple acidity; the overall impression is one of considerable harmony. On the palate it's rich, with powerful apple fruit supported by mineral acidity that has some granny smith overtones and slight sweetness, not so much as to make it cloying -- by a long shot -- and it flows into along clean granny smith apple finish with slight sweetness. Quite nice, and will work very well as an aperitif, or with the meal; it's a wine that will drink very well with the meal and that will also be nice with friends far from the table, say when the stars are coming out as the sky darkens in summer.
90-91

Another Quick Look At 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 primarily from other grapes (and from other regions).

Their Prosecco is a solid interpretation of the varietal, which is consistent from vintage to vintage and quite pleasant to drink, especially if you find the higher acidities that generally are associated with Champagne or some of the other more "serious" sparkling wines a bit much, while the latter are quite interesting and quite enjoyable.

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvee Brut 2010
Pale papery white with fine intense perlage. The bouquet is fresh, with savory notes and some fresh floral accents, and hints of apple as well. Nice balance. On the palate it's bright, with lively apple fruit supported by fairly bright apple acidity and by the sparkle, which confers a lively fullness. Quite approachable, and will drink nicely either as an aperitif or throughout a meal built around cheeses (risotti and such), fish, or white meats.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvee Storica 2010
This is their classic Prosecco; it's pale brassy white with brassy reflections and intense perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with apples and slight crisp sweetness that gives the apples a granny smith cast, and some acidity as well. Nice balance and inviting. On the palate it's bright, and moderately sweet, with fairly rich apple fruit that gains creaminess from the sparkle, and support from deft granny smith apple acidity, and flows into a clean fresh apple finish with underlying sweetish minerality. Quite approachable, and will work very well as an aperitif. It's a little more languid than the cuvee brut, and a touch sweeter, and as a result is perhaps less suited to the table.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Cuvee Oro Prosecco Dry 2010
Brassy white with fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fairly sweet, with delicious apples and some mentholated spice, supported by some sugars. On the palate it's full and fairly sweet, with delicious apples supported by sparkle, which confers creaminess, and apple acidity that flows into a fairly long clean apple laced finish. Its quite approachable in a sweeter key -- that's what Dry is -- and will work well as an aperitif if you prefer somewhat sweeter wines, or with friends at poolside or in the evening as the stars come out. It's not, to my way of thinking, as well suited to being drunk with a meal.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Petit Manseng Brut 2010
Ale brassy white with brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fresh, with floral accents and some savory notes mingled with slight savory notes. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich bitter minerality supported by some honeysuckle and slight orange peel with hints of candied orange bitterness, and it flows into a clean savory finish. Approachable, in a fairly delicate key, and will be a pleasant aperitif, while it will also work well with delicately flavored dishes throughout a meal.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Viognier Brut 2010
Pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim, and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with delicate citrus laced acidity -- oranges and hints tangerine -- supported by airiness and some herbal accents. On the palate it's fairly rich, and though brut not bone dry; there's moderately intense lemony fruit supported by warmth and minerality, and creaminess form sparkle, which flow into a fairly long orange and tangerine finish witl underlying minerality. It will be nice as an aperitif or with the meal, working well with fish and also delicate white meats.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Cerszegi Brut 2010
Brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim, and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is fresh and rich, with elegant lemony fruit supporte dby peppery notes and a certain airiness that is also the sparkle, and by some floral accents as well. On the palate it's full and fairly rich, with clean bright mienrlaity and some candied orange peel with the bitterness that comes from the caramelization of the sugars, and pleasant savory underpinning that carries through into the finish, which is fairly loing and rather peppery. Quite enjoyable, and will work well as an aperitif or with grilled fish, inclusing fattier fish such as salmon.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Kerner Brut 2010
Pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is rich, with floral accents and white berry fruit supported by deft white berry fruit acidity and some sweet notes; it's quite pleasant and very fresh. On the palate it's rich, with powerful apple fruit laced with some loquat acidity and supported by clean minerality, while the sparkle confers a pleasant fullness, and it flows into a clean bright berry fruit finish with slight peppery notes from the sparkle and sea salt that leaves one wanting another sip. Quite pleasant and will work beautifully as an aperitif or throughout the meal. Quite enjoyable.
88-90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Rosato Brut 2010
Pale pink with salmon reflections, white rim and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is delicate, with some red berry fruit and moderate mineral acidity; it's quick to write but quite harmonious and pleasant. On the palate it's ample, and rich, with fresh raspberry fruit supported by pleasant mineral acidity and by sparkle, which confers fullness, while the finish is long and mineral, leaving the palate quite clean. It's quite approachable and will work very well as an aperitif, and also throughout the meal; expect people to like it and ask for more.
90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Cuvée 1868 Brut 2010
This is a special wine developed for Italy's 150th anniversary, from Prosecco, Verdiso, Boschera, Pinot Bianco and Incrocio Manzoni. It's brassy white with bright brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is intense and complex, with citrus -- orange -- and apple fruit mingled with spice and some minerality, and some greenish vegetal accents as well. Nice depth and pleasingly complex in a young key. On the palate it's full, with bright mineral laced apple fruit that gains direction from some sour lemon acidity and is supported by creamy pepperiness form sparkle, and flows into a clean bright sour aplle finish with underlying peppery notes and sea salt. Pleasant, and will work nicely as an aperitif or with the meal; it's not quite as bright as some of the others but displays a little more depth.
88-90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Gewürztraminer Brut 2010
Brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with fairly rich floral accents supported by slight sea salt and deft acidity. Quite refreshing. On the palate it's fairly full, with delicate lemony fruit supported by pleasant minerality and some greenish accents that flow into a fairly long lemony finish with greenish mineral underpinning. It's quite approachable, and very much alive thanks to its acidity, and will drink nicely as an apritif or with flavorful fish, including salmon, or also creamy dishes, and if you wanted to do something decidedly adventurous you moght serve it with fried fish and vegetables.
90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte Spumantistica Cartizze 2010
Cartizze is the finest hill in Prosecco, and it is in a way surprising that Carpenè Malvolti waited so long to bring out their wine from the hillside's vineyards. It's pale papery yellow with brassy reflections and very fine very intense perlage, and has an elegant bouquet with apples laced with some crisp notes and slight apple acidity; the overall impression is one of considerable harmony. On the palate it's rich, with powerful apple fruit supported by mineral acidity that has some granny smith overtones and slight sweetness, not so much as to make it cloying -- by a long shot -- and it flows into along clean granny smith apple finish with slight sweetness. Quite nice, and will work very well as an aperitif, or with the meal; it's a wine that will drink very well with the meal and that will also be nice with friends far from the table, say when the stars are coming out as the sky darkens in summer.
90-91

A Quick Look At 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 Prosecco Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG Cuvée Brut 2009
Pale brassy white with intense perlage. The bouquet is clean and fresh with cut green apples and some spice; it's quite rich and is also inviting. On the palate it's ample and soft, with rich granny smith apple fruit supported by crisp apple sweetness and deft granny smith acidity that flows into a clean bright apple finish. Pleasant and extremely approachable; it will be quite nice as an aperitif, especially with sweeter antipasti, and also to drink at poolside in the hot summer months. Expect it to go quickly, and you may need a second bottle.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Prosecco Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry 2009
Pale brassy white with fine intense perlage. The bouquet is bright, with granny smith apple fruit mingled with some dried apple and clean apple spice and acidity. On the palate it's ample and soft, with moderate apple fruit supported by some dusky minerality and some acidity that flow into a clean slightly sour apple finish. It's a bit weaker than the Dry, with fruit that's less enticing, and considering that as a Prosecco it's a wine to be opened and drunk in a simple occasion or a party, it's a bit less interesting,
1 star

Carpenè Malvolti Prosecco Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG Cuvée Oro 2009
Pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with apple fruit laced with some minerality and delicate slightly sugary apples, granny smith in particular, and by airy spice. On the palate it's ample and soft, with fairly rich slightly bruised apple fruit supported by warm Delicious apple acidity and by the sparkle, which confers a creamy texture, and flows into a warm apple laced finish. Pleasant, and displays nice depth; if you like sparkling wines but don't like the brash aggressiveness that a Pinot-Noir based champagne can have, it is a good alternative, and will work well as an aperitif or with foods.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte della Spumantistica Rosè 2009
Pale salmon with fine perlage. The bouquet is moderately intense with slightly smoky red berry fruit supported by airiness and a degree of minerality as well, and airiness. On the palate it's fairly rich, with clean fairly bright red berry fruit supported by fairly bright acidity and by slight smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean rather mineral finish with bitter underpinning. It's a pleasant rosé that will drink nicely as an aperitif, and will also work well with creamy fish or meat based risotti, and will also work well with simple creamy white meats or fish. In short, versatile.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte della Spumantistica Viognier 2009
Pale brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fresh, with pleasant floral accents mingled with white berry fruit and some sweetish accents. Quite nice to sniff. On the palate it's ample and soft and fairly sweet, with rich creamy white berry fruit supported by moderately intense sour loquat acidity and sparkle, which flow into a clean bright finish that gains sour accents as the fruit and sparkle fade. Quite pleasant, and will drink nicely as an aperitif, and might, because of its relative sweetness, be a nice bet with oriental dishes, ranging from moderately intense Chinese through Sushi.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte della Spumantistica Kerner 2009
Pale almost papery brassy white with brilliant greenish brassy reflections and fine insistent perlage. The bouquet is rich, with intriguing floral accents supported by graceful spice, mint and herbal sage, and some savory notes. Quite pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's ample and soft, with fairly rich white berry fruit supported by creamy sparkle and some sweetness, which flow into a clean fresh slightly bitter white berry fruit finish in which savory notes provide a pleasant counterpoint. Very nice, and will work beautifully as an aperitif or at table, with egg or cheese based dishes, and also with creamy fish based pasta sauces; it will also be nice with grilled fish, including crustaceans. It's quite nice, and well worth seeking out unless you only look for the bracing acidity that Pinot Noir-based sparkling wines often have.
90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte della Spumantistica Cersegi 2009
Pale brassy white with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is pleasant, with slightly pickled lemony fruit supported by some gunflint and spice, and by some vegetal accents. Pleasing complexity. On the palate it's ample and smooth with fairly rich, fairly sweet white berry fruit that has some sour citric overtones supported by creamy sparkle and by smooth creamy acidity that flow into a fairly long finish that acquitted bitter accents as the fruit fades. Quite nice as an aperitif, and will also drink well with creamy dishes, ranging from risotti through creamy meats and fish.
88

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte della Spumantistica Petit Manseng 2009
This takes the place of Promotico, which was (I think) the weakest of the Arte Spumantistica wines. It's pale brassy white with brassy reflections and fine long lasting perlage. The bouquet is rich, with fairly intense gooseberry mingled with sweaty blonde and supported by some greenish accents. Nice depth and balance. On the palate it's ample and soft, with fairly rich citric fruit that gains creaminess from the sparkle and flows into a clean finish in which the gooseberry accents present on the nose emerge once more. Pleasant, in an extremely approachable key, and will work nicely as an aperitif or with grilled fish, and I might be tempted to serve it at a cookout too, which would be overkill but nice. A very welcome addition to the line.
88-90

Carpenè Malvolti L'Arte dells Spumantistica Dessert Prestige 2009
This is a demi-sec blend of Glera (a new name for the Prosecco varietal, to distinguish the wine from the grape) and Moscato. It's pale brassy white with brassy reflections and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, and rather sweet with sugary white berry fruit supported by some dusky accents and spice that gives an impression of sweetness. On the palate it's ample and quite sweet, with fairly rich honey-laced white berry fruit; by comparison with a moscato it's not quite as rich and the fruit is a bit more citric, and it flows into a clean fresh sweet slightly greenish white berry fruit finish. Pleasant and will work nicely at the close of a meal or at pool side, or perhaps in the evening on a terrace as the shadows darken and the stars come out.
2 stars

Carpenè Malvolti Metodo Classico Brut 2005
Brilliant brassy gold with greenish reflections and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is intense slightly greenish accents mingled with bread crumbs and some sour accents that provide depth, and some gunflint as well. On the palate it's fairly rich, with clean bright berry fruit supported by greenish accents and creminess from the sparkle, which lead into a clean fairly rich slightly greenish finish. Pleasant, and will work nicely as an aperitif or with foods; it's a bit less acidic than many Champagnes or other wines made from Pinot Noir, and this makes it slightly more approachable, as does its slightly greater sweetness, especially if you don't like bone dry aggressive sparkling wines.
2 stars