The last time I was in Valdobbiadene was in 2015, I ended up staying in the Villa Barberina, which is run by the Franco family. I didn’t even connect the dots that it was run by them, and it was in a chance discussion with Nino’s wife, Annalisa, I mentioned that I worked in wine.
Nino then insisted on taking us around the winery and giving us the full Prosecco experience. I came away reminded that Prosecco is bloody delicious at its peak, Nino is a legend, and I’d go back to Valdobbiadene (where everyone was welcoming and drank Prosecco like it was beer in the pub). The shot below is from behind Villa Barberina (and doesn’t it all look very green).
Anyway, this Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco Superiore Brut NV is only the entry-level wine for the range, but it’s a smart wine. White flower purity on the nose, very correct with just a little sherbet and green melon. Lovely purity, I find it just a smidgen simple (this would be even better as an extra brut for mine), but there is this lovely vitality and marzipan sprinkled in a mountain stream lift to the wine that makes it worth a go. The price is now a bit wild for the Rustico, given that it was circ €8-9 in Italy back in 2015, but given the soaring Nino Franco reputation, I’m not surprised.
Best drinking: now. 17.5/20, 91/100. 11%, $50. Nino Franco website (Or buy via importer Single Vineyard Sellers) Would I buy it? A glass would be great.
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