Tasting Report: 30 Outstanding Italian Sparkling Wines

Sometimes Champagne isn't satisfying. Of course, there's nothing like a great bottle of Champagne, but I enjoy drinking other sparkling wines at times and Italian spumante metodo classico is something I drink on a regular basis.

I tend to keep with the top names: Bellavista, Ferrari, and Ca' del Bosco. I am also a great fan of the sparkling wines of the Bruno Giacosa family. They are delicious sparkling wines, and show the same soulful craftsmanship as Giacosa's great Barolos and Barbarescos.

I also re-visited the sparkling wines of Contratto in Piedmont. Giorgio Rivetti, the owner of La Spinetta who makes great Barbarescos, Barberas, and Barolos, bought the property in June 2011 and Contratto is making some stunning sparking wines there. 

On a whole, I prefer pinot noir and chardonnay-based sparkling wines. I like extended time on the lees as they ferment in the bottle. This is why I gave such high marks to the some of the top selections from the best names in Italian sparkling wines that are vintage dated and late released on the market.

This said, I found a sangiovese-based sparkling wine from Chianti Classico's Felsina stylish and delicious. It showed so much depth and character as well as a beautiful creamy texture.

In general, don't expect to save any money on buying top Italian sparkling wines. They are about the same price as the best Champagne. But there's something different in drinking them since they are Italian. Try one over the holidays.