{"title":"Can't Believe It's Not Champagne","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"avinyo-cava-reserva-2018","title":"Avinyo Cava Reserva Brut","description":"","brand":"Vino Veritas","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45906560549097,"sku":"","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_a4f73c62-3043-4229-93ec-37624cea2eb3.png?v=1633117039"},{"product_id":"hattingley-classic-reserve-brut","title":"Hattingley Classic Reserve Brut","description":"","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"750ml","offer_id":45514972791017,"sku":"270001nv","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5L","offer_id":45514972823785,"sku":"270001nv-M","price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_53666ea9-2ca3-4f0c-bff7-bd47b815be4d.png?v=1633379084"},{"product_id":"gruet-sparkling-rose-brut","title":"Gruet Sparkling Brut Rose","description":"","brand":"Capitol\/Allstate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44848459645161,"sku":"50295","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/f2a3c002-0b81-4fe8-b7ae-b1e9b458497f-Large.png?v=1766959748"},{"product_id":"l-antica-quercia-su-alto-indigeno-col-fondo-vino-frizzzante-2019","title":"Su Alto L’Antica Quercia Prosecco","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 14px; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; color: rgb(115, 116, 116); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"font-size: 14px; font-family: Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', 'Palatino LT STD', 'Book Antiqua', Georgia, serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eCould we think of a more complicated name than “L’Antica Quercia Su Alto Indigeno Col Fondo Vino Frizzzante 2019”? Probably not! But when a sparkling wine is this good, who cares? So let’s tell you just how yummy this sparkler is:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eAromas of peach and apple, white flowers and honeysuckle quiver up from the glass in an elegant dance of aromas. The palate offers up just a kiss of richness making it perfect for a champagne cocktail, mimosa, or just straightaway lake-side sipping. Fresh and vibrant, offering a full-bodied champagne experience of toast and brioche, imparting a long and lingering finish. An absolutely delicious sparkler. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eDon’t believe us? How about a review from Master Sommelier Kerin O’Keefe?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e“93 points. Racy, savory and mineral driven, this radiant, chiseled semisparkler delivers flavors of ripe pear, apple, tangy white grapefruit and graphite. Made with organically farmed grapes, it boasts vibrant acidity that adds to the mineral tension while a light mousse lends finesse.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWine Enthusiast\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eNow let’s return to the name because the best is yet to come: Su Alto means “up high” - as in, the highest, and oldest, vines on the estate. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eIndigeno means indigenous, meaning that they use the indigenous grape of the region - Glera.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eCol Fondo literally means “with sediment”, and this requires a little bit of explaining. Prosecco is usually made with a “force tank” method - it’s made like kegs of beer or Coca-Cola. But here, under the ancient Col Fondo method, the wine is not clarified, or simplified, filtered or fined. It’s left on its lees, developing richness and body. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eYou’ve heard of this method before - in Champagne. Champagne’s famous yeast, brioche and toast aromas come from long-term lees aging. Here, under Col Fondo and with this bottle, the wine has been aging 5 years on the less, almost twice as long as Champagne. But note! This ancient method means the sparkler isn’t fined. There is sediment in the bottle. Simply don't agitate the bottle too much, and the sediment will settle at the bottom. And remember this is purposeful - its what makes Champagne, Champagne; and here, delivering you the life force of the vineyard.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe name of the winery is L’Antica Quercia - “the ancient oak tree”. The name is a direct reference to two ancient oak trees that adorn the property. As owner and winemaker \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eClaudio Francella puts it: “More than 10 years ago, when we travelled the dirt road that leads to the Antica Quercia for the first time, we felt obliged to respect every single centimetre of this land. We felt so small beneath the shade of the big tree and we could only embrace a cultivation method that respects these trees. Growing grapes in this way is not easy, but it makes us happy. We have chosen organic growing because we feel it is the best choice, maybe we could give it another name, but what remains is our focus and the relationship we have created with the plants we have grown over the years.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eTo break it all down - this property falls within the most prestigious appellation of Prosecco - Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. But the ancient method, choicest vineyards, and organic and sustainable farming shift it above and beyond that designation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"line-height: 138%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003eThis sparkler is at the apex of your sparkling experience. Come join the L’Antica Quercia family in the high hills of Valdobbiadene and drink in this amazing experience. And maybe best of all, we’ve got it at an amazing price!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Capitol\/Allstate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48010443161833,"sku":"58189","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/IMG-0365.png?v=1735592493"},{"product_id":"ca-dei-zago-vino-spumante","title":"Ca' dei Zago Valdobbiadene DOCG Metodo Classico Dossagio Zero 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the importer:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Family” is a buzzword you hear in all businesses, but after a couple of minutes with Christian Zago, the 5th generation of the eponymous natural Prosecco winery in the heart of Valdobbiadene, you realize that in this particular case it’s not a marketing cliché. Family is naturally present in virtually everything this athletic-built farmer points out while showing you around. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe most important part of this family legacy is the vineyards—now 6.5 hectares in total—and the way the Zagos treat them. Since the beginnings as a mixed farm in 1924, they have never used chemical fertilizers, an approach that Christian is taking even further as an avid practitioner of biodynamics. “Nature is stronger than you. If you break the balance in the vineyard by trying to control it, you can’t recreate it in the cellar, only temporarily coerce the wine into a fake, short-lived equilibrium,” he asserts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe vines come mostly from old rootstock and Christian’s own massal selection nursed right next to their house. Seeing all this thinking in circles is a great way to get the gist of what the word “biodynamic” (sometimes used as an attractive label, or misunderstood\/dismissed as esoteric wizardry) actually means in the real life of a grower: a lot of respect for the soil you live off and seeing the global resources cycle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe vineyards in Valdobbiadene are quite steep, forbidding almost all use of machinery. No wonder it sometimes takes as much as four times the amount of work compared to the lower parts, where millions of liters of industrial Prosecco (with taste and charm as flat as the vineyards) are born; up here in the hills, you gotta work. Having made the hike, the Zago wines feel like even more of a bargain than they did before, both for the entry-level \u003ci\u003eCol Fondo\u003c\/i\u003e or their \u003ci\u003eMetodo Classico,\u003c\/i\u003e a more chiseled side of Zago showcasing the unique terroir of Bastia, a 2-hectare single vineyard with old, complanted vines right next to the famous Cartizze cru. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWaterford commentary: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd this persistence has paid off - here is one of the most dramatic \"Proseccos\" you are ever going to taste: A delicate pale straw hue with glistening, fine bubbles rising steadily, creating a lively and elegant mousse. Bright and inviting, with aromas of crisp green apple, zesty lemon zest, and subtle hints of white peach. There’s a gentle floral note of acacia blossoms, intertwined with a faint touch of freshly baked brioche. The effervescence is smooth and refined, delivering a refreshing burst of citrus fruits—grapefruit and green apple—balanced by a touch of pear and a hint of almond. It’s crisp yet creamy, with a well-rounded mouthfeel and a perfect balance of depth and vibrancy. Clean and refreshing, with lingering notes of citrus and a touch of minerality, leaving the palate feeling refreshed and uplifted. The delicate, persistent bubbles provide a lively finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs you may have guessed by now, Christian is one of the new wave of Prosecco producers returning to traditional methods to make exceptional sparkling wine. This wine is made in the Metodo Classico style - the Champagne method, with zero sugar added. In 2020, the resulting sparkling wine was not allowed to be called Prosecco, hence is long unusual name. But no matter. This is one of the best of the best, and we have it at an exceptional price. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCritical acclaim:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"95 points. Single-vineyard sophisticated sparkler, made with grapes painstakingly\u003cbr\u003etaken care of by the hand of third-generation winemaker Christian Zago, who follows\u003cbr\u003ebiodynamic principles and even makes his own compost. The result is a wine of superb precision and purity, with wet stone undertones and bright citrus acidity for days.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Johnson\/Phillips","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48621311918313,"sku":"1587216","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/IMG-1895.png?v=1753723867"},{"product_id":"gramona-ill-lustros-cava","title":"Gramona Ill Lustros Corpinat","description":"","brand":"Winebow","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49190919471337,"sku":"30319219","price":64.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"jansz-sparkling-premium-cuvee-nv-tasmania","title":"Jansz Sparkling Premium Cuvee NV Tasmania","description":"","brand":"Winebow","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50098434801897,"sku":"30079313","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]}],"url":"https:\/\/waterfordwine.com\/collections\/cant-believe-its-not-champagne.oembed","provider":"Waterford Wine and Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}