Alessandra Divella, Dady NV

100% Chardonnay

Franciacorta, Lombardy, Italy

VINTAGE: 2020
DOSAGE: Zero
DISGORGED: January 2024

Named after Alessandra's nickname for her favorite aunt, this zero/zero cuvée is in essence the Blanc de Blancs, but all grown up. The same lightly macerated Chardonnay is blended with reserve wine from previous vintages to create an even more mineral version of the Blanc de Blancs. 42 months on the lees brings out the textural complexity and oxidative aromas in the presence of ever-present acid linearity. 

Alessandra Divella is the Italian answer to grower Champagne, on track to upend the industrial farming practices rampant in Franciacorta. Her vines have been organic from the start and her two hectares, on lease for thirty years from an older neighbor, teem with life, including rosehips and praying mantises. The aim is to eventually move toward permaculture. Grapes are always hand harvested and treated gently. 

Alessandra herself has a quiet confidence that belies the adrenaline rush of her wines: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir so saline and bracing they make your heart race. She does not come from a winemaking family but rather stumbled into it through interactions with winemakers that made her "feel at home." She does, however, draw from her family heritage when it comes to detail and precision: her Italian father (for which her NiNì cuvée is named) and Swiss mother (Clo Clo) are both academics. 

Zero sulfur / zero dosage, Alessandra's wines are 100% méthode champenoise so dialed into their provenance of clay and limestone that your mouth will salivate for minutes (if not hours) afterward. Alessandra has already achieved pioneer status within the region as one of the first estates to farm organically and the first to be female-led. The exceptional level of wines produced is mind-melting, especially considering that this is only the beginning.