A return to ancestral traditions
Refermented sparkling wines represent a return to ancient winemaking techniques, a fascinating journey to the origins of sparkling wine production. Also known as “ancestral method,” “on the lees,” or “Col Fondo,” these wines are obtained through a single fermentation that begins in the tank and is completed in the bottle, without disgorging.
The refermentation takes place thanks to the natural sugars in the grapes, without the addition of liqueur de tirage, creating genuine, local sparkling wines that tell the unfiltered story of a grape variety and a place.
Pet Nat and Col Fondo: contemporary expressions of ancient methods
The landscape of refermented sparkling wines has recently been enriched by the phenomenon of Pétillant Naturel (Pet Nat), a French term that identifies these natural sparkling wines, now reinterpreted by young and innovative producers.
In Italy, the most established tradition is that of Prosecco Col Fondo, where the wine remains in contact with its yeasts, developing aromatic complexity over time. Unlike conventional sparkling wines, these wines often retain a cloudy or slightly turbid appearance, a characteristic that is not a defect but a distinctive and identifying feature that underlines their authenticity and naturalness.
A unique and distinctive sensory profile
Refermented sparkling wines have distinctive organoleptic characteristics that clearly distinguish them from more commercial sparkling wines. In the glass, they often show a lively but less persistent perlage, with bubbles that are sometimes larger and more rustic. The aromatic profile is dominated by notes of bread crust, fresh yeast, wildflowers, and white-fleshed fruit, with a marked vegetal and mineral component. On the palate, they impress with their authenticity, with a dry structure, vibrant acidity, and sometimes a slight hint of yeast reminiscent of freshly baked bread, expressing a genuine, sometimes rustic but always engaging character.
Grape varieties, territories, and interpreters of a growing movement
These sparkling wines are produced from numerous Italian grape varieties and regions: from Glera in Veneto for Prosecco Col Fondo to Malvasia in Emilia, from Garganega in Veneto to Grechetto in Umbria, to native grapes from central and southern Italy such as Pecorino and Catarratto. Among the leading producers are pioneers such as Costadilà and Ca' dei Zago in the Prosecco region, the Emilian interpretations of Camillo Donati and Quarticello, and the natural approach of Cascina degli Ulivi in Piedmont.
