Zèro

Vineyard and terroir

The fruit comes from sunny slopes in the moraine hills. The vines are 15 years old on average.

Grapes

The blend is predominantly Chardonnay, with Pinot Nero.

Vinification

The grapes are generally harvested in the second half of August, with the picking date determined separately for each vineyard. After gentle pressing, the juice is cold-settled, inoculated with yeast and fermented in stainless-steel tanks for 20 days. Partial malolactic fermentation follows. No dosage syrup is added.

Ageing

The wine rests in stainless-steel tanks for seven months before cold stabilization and bottling, followed by 30–36 months on the lees.

Tasting profile

The nose combines white flowers, fresh fruit and citrus with chamomile, golden apple, apricot, subtle Mediterranean herbs and dried fruit. The wine has a pure, fresh and naturally elegant character, with a breezy freshness. It is soft and less austere than French sparkling wines made without dosage.

Label / history

The winery was founded in 1991, when Vittorio Moretti, owner of Bellavista, set out to create a different, more complex and innovative style of wine. Its name preserves a connection with local tradition: Contadi was once the term for the counties into which the Castaldi family’s lands were divided. The Castaldis were noble lords entitled by law to receive the finest produce from each harvest.