Lucciole: sparkling rosé from Verona

Sparkling rosé is one of the most versatile, food-friendly wines in the world. While the grapes used in these wines often vary by region, sparkling rosés have a great affinity with food. Pink sparkling wines have a real depth of flavour, but there's also a wonderful acidity to them which is important when looking to pair these with more complex food styles.

• Our Lucciole is the creation of the wonderfully enigmatic Stefano, whose organic farm can be found on the eastern hills of Lake Garda, about a 30km drive, west of Verona. This sparkling wine is our most popular sparkler (gold medal winner at the China Wine and Spirit Awards 2016) and is a real crowd-pleaser. Pale rose-petal in colour and made using organic grapes: Corvina (the main grape found in Valpolicella wine) and Syrah, both wonderfully generous in the fruit stakes;  wild berries, blueberry, raspberry, red and black cherries, cranberry, all combined with the freshness and delicacy of the spumante style. The wine undergoes a second fermentation at a controlled temperature in closed stainless steel tanks where the cardon dioxide that is produced, cannot escape and is trapped in the wine (i.e the bubbles). It is this process that preserves the grapes’ full flavour, brightness and aroma intensity.
• Drink it on its own or try cooking Panko breaded chicken fillets or tuna tartare or saffron risotto or save it for dessert alongside forest fruits and cream of Chantilly tart. 
• If you're looking for a Christmassy weekend break that's not too far away, why not look at exploring Verona and the surrounding villages? It's packed with Christmas markets, culinary delights and breathtaking Italian charm! For interesting places and sights on offer between now and Christmas go to: https://www.venetoinside.com/events-in-veneto/event/christmas-markets-in-verona-and-its-province/
• Be sure to visit these city-centre bars:
• Osteria Locandina Cappello on Via Capello 16. Owned by Stefano’s sister and you can drink Serene wines in this pretty, little cosy hideaway.
• L’Osteria del Bugiardo on Corsa Porta Borsari. Owned by the Buglioni family of the Buglioni vineyard and here you can drink Buglioni wines at the bar, have lunch or dinner in a buzzing, informal, spilling-out-onto-the street atmosphere.