Ca' dei Zago Valdobbiadene DOCG Metodo Classico Dossagio Zero 2020

From the importer:

“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. 

The 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.

The 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.

The 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 Col Fondo or their Metodo Classico, 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. 

Waterford commentary:

And 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.

As 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. 

Critical acclaim:

"95 points. Single-vineyard sophisticated sparkler, made with grapes painstakingly
taken care of by the hand of third-generation winemaker Christian Zago, who follows
biodynamic 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."