This month, we’ll toast the start of another calendar page and say “Happy New Month” with a Faive Rosé Brut from the wonderful family at Nino Franco.
In reading some of the great reviews of this wine, we found someone who agrees with our sparkling wine philosophy.
Charles Scicolone, a wine consultant that the New York Times called “The Maestro of Italian Wines,” includes Nino Franco Faive Rosé in a list of some of his favorite sparklers,
“Most of us think of sparkling wine as something that should only be drunk on special occasions or at Christmas and New Years, but I don’t agree. Sparkling wine can be enjoyed all year round and I especially like it in the summer and always with food.”
Last October, we first tasted this sparkling wine along with others from the Nino Franco line at Brix Wine Shop. At the tasting, we added a couple of bottles to our order because we have friends who we suspect will love this wine and we wanted to have some on hand when they visit.
Then, we opened a bottle at home and had it with food and without sharing our attention with some of our all time favorite Proseccos. We discovered that we love this Nino Franco wine for a whole set of different reasons. We added a few bottles to our next order from Brix to be sure to have some for our pals despite dipping into the supply from time to time.
Rosé as a Rite of Spring
We browsed our wine rack to pick a sparkler for May and remembered the strawberry notes and clean dry finish of the Faive. It seemed a perfect choice. Others agree.
Wine & Spirits 2013: “More red than rosé, this has the dark flavor of pomegranate …. There’s something oddly refreshing in it, a quirky rosé to chill for the beach, to serve with grilled shellfish.”
Independent Wine Review: “This “Faive” Rosé bubbles on across an impressive length. Drier than most rosé sparkling wines made in the Prosecco zone of production and purer in flavour.”
Sommelier’s Choice: “In many ways a wine that defies classification (not legally permitted to be labelled Prosecco, drier than most rosé sparkling wines made in the Prosecco zone of production and purer in flavour and made differently to rosé Champagne) this “Faive” Rosé Spumante is defined by flavours of strawberries, wild raspberries and freshly picked nectarines. Almost completely dry and underpinned by an ever-present but subtle and nicely integrated mousse, this “Faive” Rosé bubbles on across an impressive length.”
Charles Scicolone: “The wine is light salmon in color, with good bubbles, nice red fruit and a hint of pear.”
Tidbits About Faive Rosé Brut
Pronunciation: Fie-EE-vay
Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 12%
Importer’s serving suggestions: Faive should be enjoyed from the first spring days, over the summer until late autumn. Serve with small appetizing bites ranging from cheese, to lightly steamed shrimp and cheese straws.
What Does the Name Mean?
Faive: from the Venetian dialect, are the small gilded red tongues of flame and sparks rising towards the sky from a great fire, lightly and freely carried by the wind.
It certainly sparked some smiles around here. Happy new month!
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The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine
The New Wine Lover’s Companion
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino with the bottle alone courtesy of Nino Franco.