When it comes to sweet sparkling, there might not be anything as prominent as Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante.  Yet, it’s not the only option when it comes to sweet sparklers.  While Ballatore Gran Spumante doesn’t claim to be quite as sweet, it does promise to offer some sweetness to the party.  So is this the right option for someone looking for something in the middle, or is it best to stick with Asti?

Sight: A lighter gold with a lower amount of bubbles.

Smell:  The nose is buoyed by a huge number of honey poached pears and fresh pears.  Subtly, there are notes of peach, honeysuckle, and other stone fruits.

Sip:  Lively, and bright, it starts off with a slightly prickly amount of carbonation, but levels off, becoming more smooth.  The sweetness adds an amount of roundness.   A hint of pear skins leads giving it more of a bitterness, but there are also lots of notes of honeysuckle, unripe apricot, and peach blossom.

Savor:  The ending carries over a small amount of the honey, pear, and pear skins, but fades relatively quickly.

Ballatore Gran Spumante is a pear lovers paradise, but somewhat one dimensional.  While there is a great amount of fruit coming from the nose, it’s mostly pears, with only hints of stone fruit and flowers, and this carries into the body which is less sweet than perhaps expected.  That said, it does offer a nice amount of sweetness, if not the super sweet levels of Martini & Rosso Asti.  If you want something toned down a notch, Ballatore Gran Spumante may be just what’s ordered.

Verdict:  Semi-Sweet, Pear, Honey, Prickly
Price: $8
Modesto, California