2000 La Stoppa Cuvee Buster

La Stoppa is a 125-acre estate is near Piacenza, in the Emilia-Romagna appellation. It was founded in the late 19th century but is today run by Elena Pantaleoni and winemaker Giulio Armani. Pantaleoni’s family acquired the estate in 1973 and improved the property. Today the 80 acres of vineyards are planted to Barbera and Bonarda, with small amounts of Malvasia Candia, Ortrugo and Trebbiano. The estate makes red and white wines, including La Stoppa Trebbiolo Frizzante, a red slightly fizzy wine made of Barbera and Bonarda. Trebbiolo is named for “Val Trebbiolo,” the local valley where the grapes are grown. The wine is fermented using natural yeasts in a sealed, pressurized tank, which captures the natural carbon dioxide. The estate is certified organic and produces a total of 160,000 bottles annually. Gambero Rosso call Pantaleoni and Armani “artisans who classically and reliably interpret their local terroir…the result is pure, multi-faceted wines that are incredibly deep, austere….”

Emilia-Romagna is a vast, diverse, wine and food producing region in northeastern Italy. Located north of Tuscany and south of Veneto, Emilia-Romagna is home to some of Italy’s most revered food cities, namely Bologna, Parma and Modena. Famous for Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and Parma prosciutto, the region has always benefited from its advantageous geography on the fertile plains and riverbanks of the Po River. The region has 145,000 acres of vineyards that produce grapes for red, white and sparkling wines. The region includes one DOCG appellation, Albana di Romagna, and nineteen DOCs. Emilia-Romagna is known for its sparkling wines, both sweet and dry, and Lambrusco, commonly produced as a slightly sweet, slightly effervescent red wine. But Emilia-Romagna also grows Sangiovese abundantly, as well as Barbera, Bonarda and, recently, Cabernet Sauvignon. White wine grapes most frequently grown are Malvasia, Albana, Pignoletto, and Trebbiano. Trebbiano is used for light dry white wines as well as many of the spumantes.