Grape blend: Pinot Nero, Trebbiano Toscano, Chardonnay
Alcohol content: 12.5% vol
Acidity: 5.5 g/l
Residual sugars: 6.01 g/l
This is La Vialla’s oldest and most classic sparkling wine, not exactly a “spumante”, but a semi-sparkling wine with a perlage that is more subtle, less noticeable in the mouth. It has always had a special place on the table during an “aperitivo” at the Fattoria. It combines Pinot Nero, the quintessential sparkling wine grape of the “northern” Oltrepò Pavese area, with Trebbiano Toscano and Chardonnay for a rounded bouquet and body. The Pinot benefitted from a reasonably good season, while the other two varieties – which grow here in Tuscany – saw a reduced harvest due to extreme heat and underwent further selection of the best bunches after the harvest. At the end of their respective periods of fermentation, the base wines were blended and, just a month before bottling, the wine was refermented in order for the little bubbles to develop.... then the Mussantino was ready to be corked and, now... uncorked at the table!
Tasting – Colour: crystal-clear straw yellow with more intense hues as time passes. The nose: green apple, delicate nectarine, wildflowers. In the mouth: pleasant well-balanced effervescence (the bars of pressure in Mussantino are less than half those in a “spumante”), nicely acidic and fresh on the palate, with a slightly sweet note in the finish.
Wine and Food Pairing – Versatile, delicate and pleasant to drink, chilled, either on its own or throughout an entire meal. It’s ideal with “nibbles” for an aperitif, with aubergine and swordfish roulades, with salt cod balls, with vegetable crudités, with fish risotto or pasta dishes. It's perfect to use in cocktails: 2/3 Mussantino and 1/3 orange juice for a good "mimosa", or use peach juice for a fragrant "Bellini".