Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oakoak aged

Drinking window

Best 3 to 15 years from disgorgement.
disgorgement3 yrs15 yrs17 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

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.

  1. 2007: First Mariella Riserva vintage

Facts

Producer
Contadi Castaldi · visiting guide
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.

Tags

chardonnay dry full body high acid medium term mood contemplative mood elegant occasion celebration occasion cellar occasion special old world pairs with aged cheese pairs with risotto pairs with shellfish pairs with truffles pairs with white fish price premium vegan

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