Italiano
Cave Mont Blanc, the first 40 years
Forty years for the first sparkling wine produced by the cooperative winery from the highest vineyards in Europe: the Aosta Valley-based Cave Mont Blanc.
Italian genius makes it possible to anticipate desires by creating fashions and trends. In this historical moment where any sparkling wine is sparkling, as long as it is indigenous, often with "disreputable" results, we found ourselves celebrating the 40th birthday of a classic method from Valle d'Aosta from an indigenous grape variety (Prié Blanc) that amazed us for the umpteenth time: we are talking about the Vallée d'Aoste Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle Spumante metodo classico Cave Mont Blanc.
La Cave Mont Blanc debuted with this wine project in 1983 and only 1,000 bottles were put on the market 3 years later, seizing immediate success. To date, the bottles have grown to about 100,000, always based on Prié Blanc (the winery's only varietal), which proves to be an eclectic and long-lived variety. Endowed with high acidity it shows with modern vinifications a variegated and distinctive bouquet ranging from floral to saffron with citrusy if not slightly balsamic hints, with a beautiful personality. The still white wines also impressed us, especially the Mine Project; once bottled it is left in the "mine" to age. The La Piagne cru, from an ancient terraced vineyard, is also excellent.
On the sparkling wine side, the Cuvée des Guides project is most interesting, which is sparkling at over 2,000 meters thanks to a collaboration with the Courmayer Mountain Guides Society and Funivie Sky Way Monte Bianco (a very modern, truly marvelous facility that takes you to 3,400 meters in 10 minutes). The entire sparkling process takes place at an altitude of 2173 meters on Mont Blanc, 36 months on the lees create a bubble of resounding finesse.
La Cave Mont Blanc is a mini social winery where 70 members have joined together to work 18 hectares of property almost all of which is planted with the Valdostan pergola, which means a height of the elevation of about 1.4 meters, which is difficult to work with and with such steep slopes that terracing is obligatory; many of the vineyards are over 1,000 meters and have rather low yields. Truly commendable restoration and land preservation work.
These four wines that really impressed us. Click on the name to read the tasting notes.
- Cave de Mont Blanc, Vallée d’Aoste Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle La Piagne 2020
- Cave de Mont Blanc, Spumante Brut Nature Cuvée des Guides 2020
- Cave de Mont Blanc, Vallée d’Aoste Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle Spumante Pas Dosé Glacier 2012
- Cave de Mont Blanc, Vallée d’Aoste Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle Spumante Pas Dosé Cuvée Gerbollier 2011
