Quadra winery, the dream of terroir
The Quadra winery is in Franciacorta, one of the best areas for quality Italian spumante sparkling wine. The chief executive Mario Falcetti, after years of experience at Contadi Castaldi, joined in 2008 to realise his dream of terroir. There are 22 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir used to make high-level Franciacorta wines. Not crus, not wines from a specific vineyard, but expressions of the cuvée, according to Falcetti. The individual vineyard plots are kept separate until the grapes arrive in the cellar. One of the objectives is to create a balanced wine with enough acidity, a weak point for Franciacorta.
As well as grape health, there are many expedients in the vineyard and in winemaking processes that contribute to creating the delicate balance of Quadra (wines), including long lees contact, for example. Eretiq is particularly interesting and different, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir, vinified and aged only in steel, and without dosage: notes of wild flowers on the nose, pastries and honey, with remarkable richness of taste. I recommend it for anyone who wants to try a different, eccentric but classy spumante.
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