NEW Monfort Cuvee 85 Trento DOC

Pairs with: Fresh seafood carpaccio, pan-seared trout meunière, fried calamari, artisanal charcuterie boards, mushroom quiche, or soft alpine cheeses like Fontina and Taleggio.

Good for: Toasting milestone celebrations with mountain-grown Metodo Classico elegance; discovering Italy's premier traditional-method sparkling wine region; or offering lovers of Champagne a crisp, mineral-driven, lees-aged alternative.

Grape: 90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir).

I am from: Trento DOC, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy (Sourced from high-altitude hillside vineyards between 400 and 600 meters elevation in the Trento and Pergine Valsugana districts, rooted in sandy clay-porphyry soils).

The Story: Named in tribute to 1985—the landmark year when Lorenzo Simoni launched Cantine Monfort's sparkling wine program—Cuvée '85 represents nearly four decades of traditional-method (Metodo Classico) mastery in northern Italy. Sourced from high-altitude alpine slopes where dramatic temperature shifts between sun-drenched days and cool mountain nights lock in soaring acidity and aromatic complexity, this cuvée showcases classic Trento DOC tension. In the cellar, the Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grapes are gently pressed and vinified separately before blending. The wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle and rests on its fine lees for 24 months, developing refined, creamy complexity while preserving its crisp, alpine vitality.

Why You'll Love Me: It is a sophisticated, vibrant, and beautifully textured sparkling wine that balances crisp mountain fruit with delicate toasted brioche and almond complexity. In the glass, it shines a pale straw-yellow with a fine, persistent stream of delicate bubbles. The nose opens with an inviting bouquet of crunchy green apple, lemon curd, and crisp Bosc pear, seamlessly layered over top notes of white jasmine blossoms, toasted almond skin, and a touch of warm brioche. On the palate, it glides with a dry, medium-bodied, and creamy stride; a succulent wave of citrus and orchard fruit is buoyed by a fine mousse and driven forward by a beam of high-altitude acidity. Clean, taut, and elegant, it glides into a long finish marked by a trailing note of lemon zest and a persistent, stone-dust mineral snap.