Cheers to Pet Nat! This was another firm favourite at wine club this year! Il Lieve is a beautiful example of sparkling wine as it was done a hundred years ago: “on its lees” with a traditional secondary fermentation in bottle.
Made with Glera and other local grape varieties such as Bianchetta Trevigiana, Boschera and Perera. This wine is bottled in one single bottling run, usually in February. Secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, as per the traditional method. Unlike most sparkling wines obtained with the traditional method, for Il Lieve there is no disgorging and no dosage. The resulting wine is cloudy with a yeasty sediment settling on the bottom of the bottle that enriches the wine with flavours and complexity and gives it a decidedly unique personality.
A rather unique, funky natural sparkling wine, reflective of an important piece of tradition and culture of the Prosecco region, linked to a time before modern Charmat became the most popular method of production in the territory. This fully natural wine is made with secondary fermentation in bottle and no disgorging: spent yeasts remain in bottle enriching the wine with a unique flavor and aromatic profile.
The fresh fruitful notes of the indigenous white grapes used blend perfectly with the bread crust hints of yeasts in a product with almost zero sugary residue.
One for the natural wine lovers for sure!