Villa Sandi, Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG (Veneto, Italy) Brut 2023 ($50, Demeine Estates)

As my colleague here at Wine Review Online recently pointed out, “it’s the time to taste the ‘Good Stuff’” in reference to Prosecco. Well, this Cartizze from Sandi is really the “Good Stuff.” Cartizze, with its area of only about 250 acres of vines and accounting for about 0.1 percent of Prosecco’s output, is considered the pinnacle of the Prosecco quality pyramid. Mineral-y more than fruity, this refined beauty caresses the palate. A cutting edginess amplifies its appeal. Its delicate style belies its impression and length. It shows the heights that Prosecco achieves when the grapes are planted in the right place and handled by a top producer.
94 Michael Apstein