The 2012 Contratto Metodo Classico Pas Dosé Cuvée Novecento is a vintage traditional-method sparkling wine from Piedmont, produced by Contratto, one of Italy's oldest and most historic sparkling wine houses. Founded in 1867, Contratto was a pioneer of bottle-fermented sparkling wine in Italy and remains a benchmark producer for Metodo Classico wines, combining long lees ageing with a strong emphasis on terroir and precision.

Cuvée Novecento is one of the estate's flagship wines, crafted from carefully selected fruit grown in the cool hills of Piedmont. Produced using the same traditional method employed in Champagne, the wine undergoes extended ageing on its lees before disgorgement. As a Pas Dosé bottling, no dosage is added after disgorgement, allowing the character of the vintage, fruit and terroir to be expressed with maximum clarity.

The 2012 vintage was particularly favourable in northern Italy, producing wines with both concentration and balance. The wine opens with aromas of lemon zest, baked apple and white peach, layered with notes of toasted brioche, roasted nuts, dried flowers and chalk. On the palate, it is structured and precise, with fine, persistent bubbles supporting a core of citrus and orchard fruit. The extended lees ageing contributes depth and texture, while the absence of dosage highlights the wine's freshness, mineral tension and long, dry finish.

Among Italy's top traditional-method sparkling wines, Cuvée Novecento stands out for its combination of maturity, complexity and precision. The extended bottle ageing provides a level of development often associated with prestige cuvées, while the Pas Dosé style appeals to those who appreciate a more transparent and terroir-driven expression of sparkling wine.

Aromas of dried apples, brioche, toffee caramel and almonds. Medium- to full-bodied with tangy acidity and energetic fizz. Grilled lemons and hazelnuts together with a creamy, toasty finish. Drink now. - James Suckling