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Mission Codename: Bubbly for Mom!

Operative: Agent Sparkle

Objective: Find a perfect Sparkling Brut in anticipation of Mother’s Day.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Amorosa Bella

Wine Subject: Mendocino Sparkling Brut Sparkling Wine

Winemaker: Kenneth Juhasz

Backgrounder: Mendocino County, just north of Sonoma County has numerous great wineries most notably towards Ukiah and along the Russian River Valley inland as well as the Navarro River along Anderson Valley. The sparkling wine tradition int he region dates to the early 1980s when Champagne Louis Reoderer invested in 500 acres int he cooler Anderson Valley. Since that time, this area has been a secret ‘mecca’ for wines of the champenois tradition.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Bright and inviting, this pale straw yellow sparkler has excellent clarity and as its mousse fades it leaves behind trails of medium sized bubbles that twist their way to the surface.

Smell – Light and fresh with a medium intensity, showing aromas of Anjou pear, sweet & tart grapefruit and sweet tropical fruit. Framing the vibrant fruit is a toasted buttered biscuit, orange blossom flowers and honey and a subtle nutty component.

Feel – This medium-bodied sparkler is Brut-dry with vibrant effervescence that compliments its lively acidity and a crisply textured minerality.

Taste – Inviting flavors of both green and ripe Anjou pear, tart citrus grapefruit, tropical melon toasted vanilla and biscuit, orange blossoms, crisp minerals and subtle nutty, creamery notes that balance the tingly bubbles.

Finish – Medium in length, very clean and crisp with the tree fruit and toasted biscuit and vanilla fading first followed by the citrus and minerality and lively effervescence that invites another sip.

Conclusion – The Amorosa Bella Mendocino Sparkling Brut is a lovely sparkler that is deliciously elegant, smart and crisp on the palate with a vibrant effervescence that tickles the palate. Perfect to enjoy with brunch, lunch or as we did watching the sun fade into the horizon with fresh schucked New England oysters on the half-shell.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

Mother’s LOVE sparkling wine!

Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo, internationally recognized health and wellness expert, author, and owner of Amorosa Bella Winery is back with one of her award winning sparkling wines.

Mother’s Day is closely approaching, Sunday, May 8th. It is the perfect time to reignite all of your senses with Dr. Belluzzo’s light and luscious sparkling wine!

In Italian, “Amorosa Bella” means beautiful lover. The love affair is with life!

Literally speaking, Amorosa Bella beautiful bottled sparkling wine is the essence of experiencing the full spectrum of “sensuality” using all six of your sense: sight, smell, sound, taste, touch, and intuition.

SUBJECT: Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo

WINE EDUCATION: Though classically trained in an academic sense, Dr. Belluzzo has made it her mission to expand our path on the road to wellness by living a sensual life. Dr. Belluzzo and talented winemaker, Penelope Gadd-Coster, handcraft uniquely sensual wines exclusively for Amorosa Bella.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: “Wine is relationship!” True to Amorosa Bella’s Italian family heritage, wine is blended to bring greater pleasure to everyday living. Through a luscious alchemy of elements, wines awaken your senses create intimate personal moments and enliven all gatherings.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Living with passion requires igniting the spark. Our sparkling wines flicker, then burst into flame!”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 23 October 2009

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Charlyn. We are thrilled to be showing your Sparkling Brut NV today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

CHARLYN BELLUZZO: It’s my pleasure!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

CHARLYN: As a scientist and a medical researcher, I am fascinated by the science of our senses. Our senses are primal and have been essential to our survival dating back to the dawn of humankind. As we refined our intellect, we lost touch with our ability to “feel”. Rediscovering your senses is exciting! Wine, particularly sparkling wine, triggers all of your senses.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

CHARLYN: The characteristics of Amorosa Bella wines please some of the most sophisticated wine aficionado, yet the romantic sensual nature of our wines and the enjoyable lifestyle we purvey attracts a new class of young wine enthusiasts.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

CHARLYN: Our Sparkling Brut NV is alluring and elegant. This sparkling wine evokes the delicacy of Asian pear and the finesse of white fig, brioche and hazelnut. Amorosa Bella Sparkling Brut is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The bright fresh fruit is followed to the finish crisp and clean. Like twilight itself, the small lively bubbles are full of light and mystery.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

CHARLYN: Summertime is Sparkling wine time! This time of the year, Sparkling wine is ideal for everyday enjoyment; lower alcohol and no residual sugar.

Chill down Amorosa Bella Sparkling Brut wine as a refreshing drink alone or a perfect match for many dishes from salads to spicy outdoor barbeque dishes! Try sparkling wine with salty foods like potato chips or popcorn.

A bowl of fresh fruit or berries, drizzled with sparkling wine becomes a light appetizer or desert. Place your Sparkling Brut fruit bowls in the freezer and create a fruity wine slush—perfect for an outdoor appetizer on a warm summer evening.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Russian River Valley so special?

CHARLYN: Amorosa Bella wines are conceived in the heart of Sonoma County, California, nestled along the famed Russian River, where the beauty of lush hillsides laced with delicate rows of grapevines and alluring aromas fill your senses. Temperate weather; warm sunny days and nights cooled by the ocean fog as it rolls in most summer evenings infuses the grapes and the people living in the region with a unique sweetness that is intoxicating making easy conversation with friends and lovers.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

CHARLYN: Springtime and early summer at Amorosa Bella is buzzing! We are currently bottling the 2010 white varietals.

As you all know, the process for producing Amorosa Bella sparkling wines is much different from our still wine portfolio. Wine created from our 2010 harvest, destine to become sparkling wine was just placed in the bottle for the first time!

We will now let these bottles “rest” with their very first corks for six months, waiting their first disgorging. Our sparkling wine is made in the traditional riddle method, periodically hand turning each bottle, disgorging three separate times before the final cork is placed, eighteen to twenty-four months after harvest.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

CHARLYN: Get to know yourself and explore your own tastes and style as you experience wine. Discover your wine preferences using all of your senses. Consider which wines you would select for yourself to enjoy when no one else is watching. There are no wrong wine choices if your senses are pleased.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

CHARLYN: Ask your mother, friends, and even yourself what would the best wine be for celebrating this season. We invite you to pop a cork on Amorosa Bella Sparkling Brut and raise a glass to toast your love affair with life!