Antica Fratta, Franciacorta DOCG (Lombardy, Italy) 2018

 Lovers of fine Rosé Champagne should take note of this wine, which is a qualitative competitor to some very famous renditions that have now become painfully expensive (e.g., Billecart-Salmon now averaging $104 in the USA, even if wide available for $80 in big, competitive markets).  Very rich, broad and deep in both flavor and texture, this is a luxurious sparkler by any standard, and in my experience, that’s precisely what buyers of Rosé sparklers are after.  By way of full disclosure, by personal taste leans strongly toward leaner, more mineral Chardonnay-based Blanc de Blancs sparklers and Champagnes, but I only note that to indicate how good this wine is, leaning as it does in the opposite direction.  The fact that the fruit base of this single vintage wine was still on the vine more than five years ago shows that this is a truly high-quality wine.