In the glass
Aroma: yellow peach, candied citrus, brioche, toasted hazelnut, honey
Palate: dried apricot, lemon curd, patisserie cream, saline minerality
Contadi Castaldi's Riserva, named Mariella, 100 percent Chardonnay with 60 months on lees and the autolytic patisserie cream of the Riserva tier.
What it pairs with
-
Risotto al tartufo bianco
Find risotto al tartufo bianco on TableJourney →
Sixty months on lees give the wine the autolytic creaminess to carry white truffle's musky aromatics over Carnaroli rice. -
Aragosta in salsa di vino bianco
Lobster in white wine sauce finds a foil in the wine's patisserie cream and lemon curd. -
Aged Bagòss with truffle honey
Brescia's mountain cow's cheese mirrors the wine's saline minerality; honey aromatics echo the cheese drizzle.
History
Mariella is Contadi Castaldi's Extra Brut Riserva flagship. Released only in declared vintages with 60 months on lees.
- 2007 — First Mariella Riserva vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Contadi Castaldi
- Grapes
- Chardonnay (100%)
- Classification
- DOCG Franciacorta Riserva Extra Brut
- Oak
- Vinified partly in second-passage oak; minimum 60 months on lees in bottle
- ABV
- 12.5%
- Price
- EUR 55 to 85 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-15 from disgorgement
- First vintage
- 2007
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Contadi Castaldi Mariella Riserva
What does Contadi Castaldi Mariella taste like?
Yellow peach, candied citrus, brioche, toasted hazelnut and honey on the nose; dried apricot, lemon curd, patisserie cream and saline minerality on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long finish from 60 months on lees.
Is Mariella released every year?
No. The Riserva is released only in declared vintages, when the harvest passes Contadi Castaldi's threshold for autolytic ageing potential.
When should I drink Mariella?
Drink between 3 and 15 years from disgorgement. The patisserie autolysis and saline minerality deepen between 6 and 10 years from disgorgement.