By Dwight Casimere
Historical documents bear witness to the existence of Bartolomeo Bortolomiol, one of the founding fathers of Prosecco in the 18th century. Through him, his descendants developed a love for the land and their desire to dedicate their lives toward the future of the Prosecco denomination.
It is in that spirit that Bortolomiol presents its Grande Cuvee Del Fondatore Mostus Vitae 2019 ($28), an Extra Brut Prosecco Superiore from the Valdobbiadene.
One hundred years have passed since Giuliano Bortolomiol was born in Valdobbiadene. After attending Oenological School in Conegliano, One of the founders of Consorzio di Tutela, Giuliano was the first to believe that Prosecco could give its best in the Brut version, with a very low residual sugar content, at a time when the Extra Dry and Dry versions prevailed..
The celebrations continue in May with the Artist’s Residence at Parco della Filandetta: a hymn to nature, to women and their sensitivity to art. The project, in its second edition, will concern land art.
In 2021, as major milestone was eached in the Valdobbiadene. Giuliano’s daughter, Maria Elena Bartolomoil, was named President of the Consorzio Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
Bartolomiol makes its Grande Cuvee from the Glera grapes of the 2018 harvest. Great care is taken in the earliest stages of winemaking. Vines are cultivated using a native method vine training called ‘capuccina modified.’ Grapes are then pressed gently to extract the juice by gently removing the skins. Carefully selected yeasts are then used to ferment the wine under controlled temperatures. The wine has a hefty 12% alcohol punch, but the fragrant aromatics punctuated by notes of sweet, freshly baked French brioche rolls, and vibrant flavors of lemons plucked from the liminocello jar.
The resulting wine is intense, but supple, with flavors that make it perfect with a variety of foods associated with summer.
In the years after World War !!, the fate of a young Giuliano Bortolomiol an that of the abandoned vineyards of the Valdobbiadene became intertwined and the future of Prosecco wine was secured.
Armed with a degree from the Institute of Oenology at Conegliano, young Giuliano set about reviving the vineyards and creating the Prosecco wine that we all know and love today.
Bortolomiol Grande Cuvee Del Fondatore bracing, complex and bold. In short, it captures the spirit of Prosecco in a bottle. Terrific as an aperitif, it is even better with food. I spent an entire weekend pigging out on Sushi and Sashimi in all its many forms; Make Sushi, Salmon Nigiri, Rice Paper Sushi, Spicy Tuna or California rolls or alongside crisp, cool salads made with delicate greens, edible flowers flavored sesame oil vinaigrette and a side of Miso.
Fresh, line-caught Wild Salmon gets the royal treatment on the grill, turned just once over smoldering hot coals, then using the trimmings to create a loose salmon pate with some sesame crackers to round out the evening. Follow that up with lemon sorbet, almond cookies and a final glass of Grande Cuvee and for just under $30, one could not create a more elegant and tasteful way to welcome the warm, languid evenings that lie ahead.