Scale and chamr seldon go together; yet in Bellavista's case, they are perfectly compatible. This remarkable operation, masterminded by owener Vittorio Moretti and Italy's 2004 Oenologist of the Year, Mattia Vezzola, combines grandeur and star quality with familarity and simplicity. The estate larger than life facilities, kilometres of underground cellars, computer-contolled operations and 500 surrounding hestares of Franciacorta woods and vineyards leave you awestruck. As does organic, Marmonnier upright presses, in-the-bottle secondary fermantation for all bottle sizes - all at the very cutting edge of sparklign wine production. No wonder Robert Parker thinks it rivals Champagne; no wonder Italy's Gambero Rosso see 'wines of incredible elegance and finesse', no wonder Bellavista is, quite simply, one of the world's great sparkling wines.
The non-vintage Brut, is a blend of 80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir, and 10% Pinot Bianco. It exhibits a refined bouquet of yeasty bread, dried apricots, pear, and citrus. This wine, which spent three years on its lees, is rich, fresh, medium-bodied, and long in the mouth, with tiny pinpoint bubbles and a lot of frothiness. Drink it over the next 2-4 years. This is a brilliant wine from winemaker Mattia Bezzola. The reference point for brilliantly pure, elegant, Italian sparkling wine, this offering can stand up to the finest Champagnes. This prestigious estate, created in the seventies by proprietor Vittorio Moretti, continues to fashion a bevy of dazzling sparklers. 91 points Robert Parker Junorio
