There is a newcomer in the world of Baglio Diar. Our first semi-sparkling wine made with the ancestral method has just been on the market: Lumìe
This month we take you on a discovery of our newest addition, telling you what it is, how we made it and its characteristics, and closing with some pairing tips.
Ancestral method sparkling: what it is
The question might arise. What does the ancestral method mean?
The term ancestral method refers to an ancient peasant way of sparkling wine-making, when still autoclaves (which are used, for example, to make Prosecco) had not been invented yet.
This method involves stopping fermentation before it is completed by cooling the must and passing it into the bottle.
Fermentation then resumes when the temperature rises enough that the yeasts resume the transformation of residual sugars.
Compared to a sparkling wine made with the charmat method, in an ancestral method citrus notes tend to prevail more, the color to be somewhat cloudy, and the effervescence is less obtrusive.
Why is it called semi-sparkling and not sparkling?
A wine is called semi-sparkling when, when stored at a temperature of 20°C in closed containers, it has an overpressure, due to carbon dioxide coming exclusively from fermentation in solution, of not less than 1 bar and not more than 2.5 bar.
In the case of a sparkling wine, on the other hand, this same overpressure must be at least 3 bar and can go up to 6-8 bar (sometimes even more).
Lumìe: why this label
If you know us well you will already know that in each of our labels we try to tell our Sicilian identity.
In this case we do so by recalling one of our most identifying fruits: the lemon.
Lumìe in fact is an ancient Sicilian lemon variety, characterized by a thick peel and small size.
In this jovial and off-beat label we depict a boy who sees the world through a lemon peel. This depiction hints at a dual interpretation.
On the one hand, the lemon is recalled. In fact, this sparkling ancestral method is characterized on the palate by a final citric aftertaste, which might remind you of lemon.
There is, however, a second interpretation. Just as when we look at the world through a lemon peel we do not have a clear, crisp vision, but a blurred one, we also have a cloudy color in the wine because of the yeast sediment present, since it is not filtered at the end of fermentation in the bottle.
Characteristics and pairing of our sparkling Lumìe
Our Lumìe comes from a pure expression of Catarratto grapes, which we grow in our vineyards in Salemi, in the hills about 350 meters above sea level, on soils predominantly of medium-textured clay and limestone.
We harvest the grapes in the nights of the first days of August, a slightly early harvest that allows us to have a higher acidity and consequently an optimal sparkling wine base.
This bubbly has a straw color enriched with silver reflections; on the nose you might recognize scents that recall notes of banana and white-fleshed fruit, such as apple and pear, and floral notes such as elderflower.
On the palate, in addition to a lively acidity, an aftertaste reminiscent of citrus notes such as grapefruit or lime prevails.
When paired, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif, along with fried finger foods or with barbecued oysters.
Recommended temperature? Very cool, between 4 and 6 °C.
Discover sparkling Lumìe on our Wine Club