November 16-18 the Formula One race came to Las Vegas, where I learned for myself that it would stay for the next ten years. Why would this matter for a wine and spirits writer? Because:
Ferrari Trento is the official sparkling wine of Formula 1 racing globally. And the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix is coming up this November. (And would I) be interested in sampling the Ferrari Trento F1 edition Las Vegas bottle? Inside the battle is a blanc de blancs cuvée aged on the lees for at least 24 months.
So, as obliging as I am, I said yes. My sample bottles arrived less than a month before the event so I set them down in my chiller until the big day. Or should I say the big night:
“If you’re new to Formula 1, you may have a few questions about the sport and how our action-packed tour of the world is staged year in, year out. Well, we’ve got you covered. In an all-in-one explainer, we take you through the basics from how the championship was formed to the circuits visited, the drivers behind the wheel and the teams involved up and down the pit lane…” Read more here.
The Tasting
Poured into a wine glass for evaluation I was immediately greeted by a pale yellow to gold color, clear with tiny bubbles clinging (Or should I say “racing” to be apropos?) onto the edge.
Aromas reminded me of a sliced white peach, bruised yellow delicious apple, lemon zest and wet stones. On the palate I was happy to find a “racy” quality filled with acidic fresh lemon and lime, as well as hints of pink grapefruit and some of that same minerality I found on the nose quite alive on the palate. A perfect libation to cheer the racers on during the Formula 1 indeed!
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
