About this wine
Vinification
The grapes are hand-picked in the last week of August and chilled before pressing. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks.
Ageing
The wine remains in stainless steel until the following spring. After the tirage liqueur is added, it spends 30 months on the lees in bottle at 13 °C.
Label / history
“Millesimato” means “vintage”, indicating that the grapes come from a single specified year. Contratto was founded by Giuseppe Contratto in 1867 and created Italy’s first vintage sparkling wine made by the traditional method used for Champagne.
The company remained with Giuseppe Contratto’s descendants for more than a century. By the end of the 20th century, it supplied wine to several European royal courts and the Vatican. Canelli winemaker Carlo Bocchino acquired it in 1993, expanded the grounds and equipped the tasting rooms. La Spinetta acquired Contratto in 2011.
Contratto’s underground cellars are carved 32 m deep into a limestone and tuff hill and extend across approximately 5,000 m². Their depth maintains a constant temperature of 13 °C and provides natural humidity. The cellars have been state-protected and included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011.
