Le Lézard
Subject: FVT

Champagne VS Franciacorta: unveiling the secrets of the world's finest bubbles with Alison Napjus


Wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike are invited to embark on an exceptional journey into the world of traditional method sparkling wine. "The Sparkling Spectrum", a tasting experience, will be held on Tuesday, April 16th at 11.30am at wine2digital in VeronaFiere's PalaExpo space. This unmissable event brings together two of the world's leading sparkling wine regions, Champagne in France and Franciacorta in northern Italy. The tasting will be curated by Alison Napjus, Senior Editor of the influential Wine Spectator magazine. 

VERONA, Italy, April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Guided by four distinguished experts, each renowned for their unparalleled expertise and contribution to the world of wine, this captivating exploration will delve into the realms of Champagne and Franciacorta. The tasting will consider the factors that influence the site locations, winemaking choices, vintage characteristics and blending in the context of a house style, as well as confronting more topical issues such as the impact of climate change.

The territory of premium sparkling wines keeps expanding, going through exciting new developments.

Leading this extraordinary tasting experience is Alison Napjus, Senior Editor for Wine Spectator, recognized globally for her insightful coverage of the Champagne and Franciacorta regions. Alison's deep understanding and passion for these iconic sparkling wine regions make her the perfect guide for this immersive experience.

Joining Alison will be Vitalie Taittinger, synonymous with excellence in Champagne, who shares her family's legacy and passion for crafting exceptional wines. Her presence enriches the session with first-hand insights into the tradition and innovation that define Champagne's extraordinary heritage.

Taittinger remarked, "Champagne Taittinger has 288 hectares of vineyards situated in all the terroirs of Champagne. This range of crus is an invaluable asset when it comes to establishing a long-term wine style. This presentation will focus on two cuvées serving different stories, to highlight the diversity that can be served by associating different crus and years. The Brut Réserve uses 45 crus of which 70% come from the years' harvest, allowing the Taittinger family to consistently express its identity. The Comtes de Champagne, a blend of 5 grands crus of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs region, offers a singular expression that evolves with the vintage. This tasting is an opportunity to evoke the notion of climate by bringing French and Italian blended wines together at the same table."

Also on the panel is Francesca Moretti, the visionary winemaker behind Franciacorta's transformation. Francesca is elevating Franciacorta's wines to new heights and her contribution to the tasting offers participants a glimpse into the future of this dynamic wine region.
Moretti explained, "We chose this version of Alma (NV) because I consider it very much my own, because it interprets, in my opinion, a contemporary Franciacorta. A Franciacorta, according to the interpretation of Richard Geoffrey and our team, within the whole tradition of Bellavista's philosophy, in the light of the evolutions of nature."

Completing the panel is Richard Geoffroy, the esteemed Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon for an impressive 26 years, now lending his expertise as a consultant for Bellavista winery in Franciacorta. Richard Geoffroy collaborates with Francesca Moretti to showcase the region's wines at their finest. He brings an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and experience, adding invaluable depth to this exploration of Champagne and Franciacorta terroirs.

Geoffroy commented: "The territory of premium sparkling wines keeps expanding, going through exciting new developments. At this stage of my career, after decades of winemaking at various latitudes, I am the witness of such a defining era. At the same time, I feel so privileged to remain a contributor by helping Bellavista."

Together, these luminaries will curate the following selection of four prestigious wines:

This unique tasting represents an unmissable opportunity for attendees to taste and learn from four of the most respected figures in the world of sparkling wine. Full event details, including registration, can be found at:
https://www.vinitaly.com/en/events-calendar/vinitaly/vinitaly-2024/the-sparkling-spectrum-exploring-champagne-franciacorta/

About: Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIA's main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Partner of Vinitaly. The new VIA ecosystem avails of the guidance of Italian trade associations Federdoc, Federvini, Vignaioli Indipendenti FIVI, and Unione Italiana Vini as members of the Institutional Advisory Board. Italian vine genetics scholar, Prof. Attilio Scienza, oversees VIA's scientific and educational direction as the Chief Scientist. VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar teach the flagship Italian Wine Ambassador course. To date, there are 394 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of whom 16 are also Italian Wine Experts.

Media Contact

Vinitaly International Academy Media Team, Just Do The Work, 0458101447, [email protected], https://www.vinitaly.com/en/training/vinitaly-international-academy/ 

SOURCE Vinitaly



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