Astro Sparkling Wine, a Neapolitan Star

The product I am about to tell you about holds, for me, a strong emotional content within its bottle.
Inside the glass, among its bubbles and in its straw-yellow fabric lies the essence of my land, in the strictest sense of the word.
This sparkling wine is in fact produced in the neighborhood of my city where, in addition to the vineyards of Cantine Astroni, the roots of my family are also anchored.

The name of the neighborhood "Chianura" derives from the conformation of the territory which, surrounded by a series of hills such as the Montagna Spaccata, is predominantly flat.
The Pianura neighborhood was an independent municipality until 1926 and has therefore preserved, despite now feeling part of the city of Naples, strong defining characteristics, both in its cuisine and in its culture enriched by historic figures, customs, and families.
One of these, the Varchetta family, gave life to one of the most important entrepreneurial realities in the area.
On the slopes of the Astroni crater and near a WWF nature reserve, Astro Extradry is born.
A name that, beyond playing on the name of the winery, holds great ambition!

Astro Extradry is a VSQ (quality sparkling wine – read here for details on the appellations) produced from 100% Falanghina grapes sourced from the Campi Flegrei area.
Don't know what an extra dry is? Further reading on the metodo classico.

Trained using the Guyot method and harvested entirely by hand, the bunches are subjected to a cryomaceration process, whereby the pressed berries are left at a temperature of 5°C so that the skins remain in contact with the must, making the mixture richer in sugars and allowing the enrichment of aromas.
The semi-finished product is then fermented in steel for two weeks and re-fermented in steel, subsequently refined using the sur lie method in steel with a passage in wood.

What comes out of this fascinating production process?

A color of straw yellow with greenish reflections and great luminosity, a strong complexity on the nose where aromas of ripe fruit and mineral notes emerge with a light and elegant floral olfactory backdrop.
A balanced and flavorful palate made of acidity and sweetness supported by an excellent structure.
Quite persistent with an extremely pleasant finish.
Great as a summer aperitif, and not to be overlooked is the pairing with lobster and raw fish.

The quality-to-price ratio is also excellent – for 8-10 euros you bring home a distinctive product with which to surprise those who are used to only the usual Franciacorta!