Ballabio is a historic winery in the Oltrepò Pavese, at Casteggio, which in recent years has focused mainly on traditional-method sparkling wine from Pinot Noir, the grape that finds one of its most convincing Italian expressions on these hills. Farfalla is the house's sparkling range.
Cave Privée is the vintage selection: pure Pinot Noir, refermented in bottle and left for a long time on the lees before disgorgement. In the Zero Dosage version no sugar is added at disgorgement, so the wine shows the substance of Pinot Noir and the maturity gained on the lees without any filter.
The 2017 vintage produced a structured sparkling wine, with fine bubbles, aromas of bread crust, dried fruit, citrus and small red berries, and a dry, savoury, deep palate. A serious aperitif, but above all a wine for the whole meal: raw seafood, shellfish, risottos and medium-aged cheeses.
At a glance: Pinot Noir 100% · 12.5% ABV · 0.75 l · Ballabio, Casteggio (PV)