Sorry, The Wine Spies doesn't support Internet Explorer anymore. Please use a newer browser to continue browsing our wine collections.
What We Say 2007 Matiu Prosecco di Conegliano Brut DOC
SECRET SAVINGS ALERT:
Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to have Ground Shipping included on orders of six or more and, sometimes, an added discount!
Mission Codename: Ancient Oaks Sparkle in the Sun
Operative: Agent Sparkle
Objective: Secure an exclusive Italian sparkler for our operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Azienda Agricola L’Antica Quercia
Wine Subject: 2007 Matiu Prosecco di Conegliano Brut DOC
Backgrounder:
Prosecco, a native white grape of northeastern Italy originating in the village of the same same, shines as the preferred spumante, its favorite sparking wine and in Venice, at just about every cafe in the late afternoon it is served as the favorite aperitif and obrette for Venetians.
Some of the best Prosecco comes from around the villages of Conegliano and Valdobbiaden in the hills just north of Venice. Many Prosecco are slightly sweeter and less fizzy than its cousin Champagne, however, today’s selection is a fully dry Brut. Also, Prosecco is made differently from Champagne with its secondary fermentation taking place in pressurized tanks (a method called Charmat_) as opposed to a secondary fermentation in the bottle (_methode champenoise).
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Pale straw yellow in color with a brilliant clear core, medium fine bubbles and moderate effervescence that leaves a medium mouse that lingers just long enough to kiss your nose as you take a your first sip. When swirled, alternating fast and slow medium thick legs ring and descend along the side of the glass.
Smell – Fresh and youthful on the nose with bright aromas of citrus fruit, a solid mineral component, lightly perfumed floral notes, and a touch of orange blossom honey and a hint of almonds.
Feel – This fully dry Brut Prosecco has an initially smooth attack with amble minerality that lingers long into this sparkler’s finish. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a good structure supports the clean fruit as its spumante lingers on the tongue.
Taste – Fresh and tart flavors of citrus including Meyers lemon and tart Clementine orange are framed and backed by a solid flinty and limestone minerality. A touch of melon, honey, and white flowers and a tiny hint of creamy nuts rounds out the bright clean flavors of this wine.
Finish – Crisp and clean with a lingering minerality that supports its fresh citrus and other flavors of this delicous sparkler.
Conclusion – The 2007 L’Antica Quercia Matiu Prosecco di Conegliano Brut DOC is classic Venetian in character with fresh, bright flavors and a dry crisp texture. If you find yourself in need of a mental vacation to Italy, this is a perfect getaway. Fresh and clean, drier than most Prosecco, this wine will pair perfectly with grilled calamari, seafood antipasto and anchovies, or if you must, you can always make a perfect Bellini.
Mission Report:
Agent Sparkle reporting in. I know I’ve been AWOL for a while but its not without cause. I needed a break for the routine and thus jumped on the opportunity to do some covert ops related to our international selections. My travels took me to Italy, where I was able to brush up on my language skills and also rediscover some great wines that, it seemed Agent White had all the fun in reviewing.
It was, of course, with his guidance that I made the trip. He had wanted me to investigate several of the wines from the northeast including his personal favorite Amarone, but but tastes are different. After connecting with his local asset Agent Baco Noir and explaining my dilemma, she said not to worry. White might be a hard ass, but us Italians can always tempt him with our great wines, and if not our wines, our Italian flair and fantastic footwear.
Being the resident sparkle or in Italian spumante agent, I went in search of some fun and delicious bubbly wines to bring back and feature. Agent Baco Noir gave me a lead, she said go to the the cafe Al Prosecco Enoiteca (a fitting name) in Venice’s Campo San Giacomo at 4PM local time. Once there I was to use the code words L’Antica Quercia or The Ancient Oak, or at least I thought it was a code word. That is until the waiter smiled and said sure, its one of our local favorites.
Local favorites, I thought…, was he in on the game? He returned with a bottle of 2007 Matiu Prosecco di Conegliano Brut DOC from Azienda Agricola L’Antica Quercia and a couple glasses. Just then Agent Baco Noir sashayed into the cafe and sat down. As she raised her glass in a toast, she said “welcome to Venice and to the easiest of missions, Cin Cin!”
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the village of Conegliano in Italy can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
L'Antica Quercia
About This Wine:
From the slopes of the hill, an original Prosecco cuvee. A combination of 3 different clones (Prosecco Lungo, Clone 13 and Clone 14), it expresses the peculiarity of the land, and the changing of the seasons of these sweet slopes. It contains all the minerality of the soil and releases all the aromatic potential of the grapes. The natural cultivation of the grapes, the wise hand of the man, the cure for the detail. Matiu is the result of all this, the frankness of a wine which is able to be paired with all dishes. Excellent as an aperitif, special with first courses, fresh cheese and fish-based dishes.
Colour: Brilliant straw yellow.
Aroma: Complex and ample with hints of citrus fruit and white flowers.
Taste: Smooth and well balanced, characterized by fruit and delicate notes. It leaves a refreshing feeling thanks to its minerality.
Food Pairing: Excellent to be served as an aperitif, or with poultry and fish-based dishes, as well as with rice and pasta.
Vinification: Short skin maceration, soft pressing, fermentation at a controlled temperature of 14C for 12 days, ageing and batonage, the process of stirring wine while it remains in tanks on its yeast lees, up to the “prise de mousse”; a French term describing the effervescence created in the sparking wine bottle during the second fermentation. The Charmat Method is carried out for 30 days, the bottle ageing follows for 30 days.
About The Winery:
The book is the land. Il Cru di L’Antica Quercia is a small world from the sole features, a context in which
the land is free of to express itself to the better one talking about if same and of its story. A story that
itself if yourselves it it with small marks, messages to read and to interpret.
Il Cru di L’Antica Quercia della famiglia Francavilla, on a hilly, 25 hectares of land, a microcosm, the vocation to the biological cultivation, the zone Cru of excellence of the Prosecco of Conegliano DOC, features microclimatic sole, excellent exhibition to the sun, earthly rich morenico of macro and microelementi, different orientations of the you spin, phases fenologiche anticipated; breedings to double guyot, good maturing of the grapes, variety clonale, the experience that I tell you would love.
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: 100% Prosecco; Prosecco Lungo, Clone 13 and Clone 14
Soil: Medium-texture of morainal origin, rich in macro and microelements.
Training Method: Double Guyot
Alcohol: 11.5%
Residual Sugar: 11 g/lt
