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Index

1&2: Amazing History

3&4: The entry into a new era

5&6: Great wine with bubbles: Millesimato & For England

7&8: For England Rose and Blanc de Blancs

9&10: De Miranda

11&12: Vermouth & Co.

13&14: Vermouth Bianco and Rosso

15&16: Americano Rosso and Fernet

17&18: People with Passion

19&20: Visiting Contratto

21&22: La Spinetta and Contratto

23&24: Contratto friends around the world

Contratto srl.

Via G.B. Giuliani, 56 Tel: 0141 82.33.49

14053 Canelli (AT) www.contratto.it Fax: 0141 82.46.50

Italia E-mail: info@contratto.it

An amazing history...

Contratto was founded in 1867 by Giuseppe Contratto and the winery is known as the

oldest producer of sparkling wine in Italy. In fact, the "Metodo Classico" 1919 Contratto

Extra Brut was the first vintage sparkling wine ever made in the country.

The winery has a long, distinguished history. At the turn of the 20th century, its wines

were leaving Canelli for destinations all over the world (predominantly to royal houses),

and Contratto was the personal supplier to the Vatican as well as to the Italian Royal

Family. Awards and medals from international exhibitions and contests of the time em-

phasize why the name of Contratto has long been synonymous with prestige and quality

in the world of sparkling wine.

In 150 years of winemaking, Contratto went from producing Moscato and red wine to

Spumante Metodo Classico, still white wines, as well as Vermouth, tonic and syrups. The

historic cathedral cellars at Contratto, now designated to become a UNESCO Heritage

Site, are a real treasure, and among the finest of their kind. These huge underground

cellars, covering more than 5,000 square meters, were built into the heart of the hill that

protects the small town of Canelli, excavated from tuff limestone to a depth of 32 me-

ters. The project took three years of manual work to finish. The cellars maintain a con-

stant annual temperature of 12 to 13 C degrees and sufficient natural humidity, an ideal

environment for bottle fermentation and the slow bottle maturation of "metodo clasico"

sparkling-wines. For many generations the winery remained in the hands of the Contratto

family. In 1993, after 126 years and somewhat in decline, it was sold to Carlo Bocchino,

owner of Canelli's grappa distillery of the same name, who undertook the restoration of

these historic cellars and the impressive building and tasting rooms with great effort and

investment.

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The entry into a new era...

After Bocchino had signed the sales contract in June of 2011 he stated to the Italian

newspaper. "I am glad to have been able to leave Contratto to the Rivettis, who are peo-

ple from the same land. I would not have wanted to see the cellars end up in the back of

a large group or multinational's catalogue."

For La Spinetta on the other hand, the acquisition of Contratto represented the entry into

one of the top Italian sparkling wine houses, by way of a prestigious brand whose high

end bottle fermentation production from Asti DOCG to Brut, have greatly influenced the

history of Italian Spumante and other historic aperitif drinks, and whose potential is yet

to be fully expressed.

"We are very excited to have acquired this important facility," said Giorgio Rivetti and

continued... "It was important for us to enter into this market, and to do so with a famous

brand. From now on, we can play an active role in making Contratto known throughout

the world, thanks to our own high profile abroad. Italian sparkling wine does not yet enjoy

the recognition it deserves on the international scene. Now, we will be able to bring the

wine into all the international markets, along with our Barbaresco, Barolo and Moscato.

The new philosophy is different from the one of the big Champagne houses, as Giorgio

and his team have their minds set to make “great wine with bubbles”and not another

Champagne.

With La Spinetta behind the brand, one may be certain the goals for future quality are

extremely ambitious.

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Great Wine with Bubbles...

The vinification is done according to classic method standards. After the initial alcoholic fer-

mentation the base wines are vinified separately, then are aged for 8 months in temperature

-controlled stainless steel vats. Second fermentation takes place in bottle for a good four

weeks and is further enhanced with bottle aging on yeast in underground cellars at a con-

stant temperature of 12° C for a minimum of 36 months. The entire production is being

hand riddled and then disgorged (glace method) by machine. Contratto ages the wine an-

other 6 months after degorgement, before it’s market release.

The entry-level Extra Brut is the Millesimato. The wine is named for the fact that it

is a vintage wine and produced every year, not a combination of vintages as you find in

"basic" Champagne. With the philosophy of making “great wine with bubbles” Giorgio Rivetti

and his team are set to keep to the ideals of wine making, which excludes the mixing of vin-

tages. The Millesimato is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. The high percent-

age of Pinot Noir is typical for sparkling wines from Piedmont and being an Extra Brut, only 3

gr of sugar were added to balance the acidity. With approximately 100.000 bottles, the Mille-

simato presents Contratto’s biggest production.

The wine For England Pas Dosé was named as such in 1930, when Contratto be-

gan producing a low-dosage wine for the English market. At that time, all Champagne and

sparkling wines were extremely sweet and the Royal Court of England was the first in Europe

to develop a drier palate for wine. Today the For England is a vintage, zero dosage (no added

liquor d'expedition) with 100% old vine Pinot Noir, which makes it a Blanc de Noir. Without

the liquor d’expedition this sparkling wine is the most natural expression of a great wine with

bubbles. A nose that is reminiscent of baked apples with light hints of ginger, sublime ethe-

real flavors on the finish, destined for the Champagne connoisseurs, who love

this natural dry style. 6

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Great Wine with Bubbles...

The For England Rosé Brut (100% Pinot Noir from Oltrepo Pavese, just like the For

England Blanc de Noir) is also refined and aged with a lees time of three years. The pale

salmon rosé color comes from a very short skin contact of one hour before pressing. As a

result the nose is crisp and reminiscent of orange and apricot, the wine is complex and

impresses with minerality, freshness and length. This Rosé is first of all a great wine, then

the bubbles make it a great sparkling wine. Contratto produces 16.500 bottles of the

Rosé.

The Blanc de Blancs Brut is 100% old vine Chardonnay. The fruit comes from La

Spinetta’s vineyards in Costigliole d’Asti. The wine is perfected with a low sugar dosage of

3 gr. The productions is small, only 12.000 bottles are made annually. This Chardonnay

from Piedmont, is rich and delicate with aromas of kumquats and lemon. Powerful and

refined on the palate combining minerality, citrus and biscuity flavors of very classic Blanc

de Blancs.

All Contratto sparkling wines should ideally be enjoyed one year after degorgement (date

of degorgement is printed on the capsule) until 5 to 10 years after vintage.

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Great Wine with Bubbles...

In 1995 Carlo Bocchino decided to restart with the production of a sweet Metodo Classico,

using Moscato d’Asti for the base wine. Just like Contratto 130 years before, Bocchino had

to deal with severe problems. First he had to engage the sweet wine into a second fermenta-

tion in the bottle and then, the most difficult part, to make the fermentation stop. When at

the turn of the 18th century approximately 50% of the production was lost, due to bursting

bottles, Bocchino in 1993 still had to face the loss of bottles despite the use of cooling cells

and near to freezing temperatures.

The De Miranda that Contratto is producing today is an extremely high quality Asti Spu-

mante. With the Charmat method the second fermentation is much more controllable. The

wine then remains on the lees for more than a year in order to mature and to be well refined.

The result is a very special Moscato that refreshes and intrigues with fruit aromas, yet im-

presses with minerality and depths. Fans of sweet wines will love this Asti Spumante. The

production is very small, only 6.000 bottles are being produced. The Moscato grapes come

from the best high altitude vineyard that La Spinetta owns. The residual sugar of 130 gr is

well balanced with a crisp acidity and herbal fruit notes of pair, apricot and pomegranate.

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Vermouth & Co...

The first Contratto Vermouth recipes date

back to the 1890s when herbs and spices

were used to cover off or oxidized wines. At

that time nobody dared to throw away wine

and the herbal infusion would cover any

unpleasant flavours.

In the 1920s Vermouth production in-

creased, still a lot of oxidized wine was be-

ing used as the base wine, but recipes

were modified for a fresher taste. Most of

the Vermouth was exported and this type of

spirit became the “in” drink of the time.

Contratto Vermouth di Torino became very

popular in the 1930s with the winery’s an-

nual production totaling 100,000 bottles.

After World War II the popularity of Ver-

mouth diminished albeit it was still con-

sumed in Europe and overseas. In the

1960s Vermouth became out of fashion,

especially in Italy, and the Contrattos de-

cided to cease the production entirely.

Today, with the revival of classic spirits and a booming cocktail culture, Contratto is

reintroducing four historic products that embrace old tradition and modern de-

mand, Contratto Vermouth Bianco, Vermouth Rosso, Americano Rosso and Fernet.

Using Cortese, an indigenous white grape variety, as the base, the wine is infused

with 30 to 50 organic premium natural herbs, spices, roots and seeds and then

fortified with Italian brandy. This traditional process is used to create a sophisti-

cated elixir that is complex, fresh, exciting and well balanced between Asian medici-

nal herbs, Italian spices and citrus fruit. These are boutique aperitifs, served on ice,

that will also make any Vermouth or Americano based cocktail an exceptional ex-

perience.

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Vermouth Bianco & Vermouth Rosso...

Contratto's Vermouth production follows the traditional method of cold flavor extraction

(maceration). Italian Brandy is poured over the herb and spice combination at cold tempera-

ture. Daily pump overs at cold temperatures result in a gentle and

premium extraction (maceration) of flavors for 45 days. Followed by

filtration and natural settlement for clarification, the superb flavor

extract is then carefully being mixed with Cortese (indigenous Pied-

mont white varietal), water and cane sugar.

Ingredient list Vermouth Bianco:

18% alcohol and 190 gr/liter sugar, the herbal combination is ba-

sed on the original Contratto recipe from 1910

white wine (Cortese), cane sugar, italian brandy, water and over 50

different herbs and spices, which among many more include: mint,

ginger, nettle, wormwood, hibiscus flower, rhubarb, carob tree, sa-

ge, juniper berry, lemon peel, clover, nutmeg, licorice, angelica,

cinnamon, coriander, sandal wood, elderberry and bitter orange

peel

Ingredient list Vermouth Rosso:

17% alcohol and 180 gr/liter sugar, the herbal combination is ba-

sed on the original Contratto recipe from 1910

white wine (Cortese), cane sugar pure and in caramelized form,

italian brandy, water and over 30 different herbs and spices, which among many more inclu-

de: laurel, wormwood, sage, cardamom, lemon peel, clover, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandal wood,

licorice, angelica, rhubarb roots, pimen- to seeds

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Americano Rosso & Fernet...

Americano is another version of a vermouth and is also based on white wine. Just like the

Vermouth, Americano draws from much the same pool of botanicals, and their classification

or style is a question of the intent behind the proprietary formluation. Contratto in the begin-

ning of the 19th century began producing Americano Bianco and Rosso, that compared to

the Vermouths, were more sweet and therefore were more appealing to the American palate.

Americanos serve a similar function to Vermouths: they are excellent aperitifs on their own,

and they make fine components of mixed drinks.

Ingredient list Americano Rosso:

16,5% alcohol and 200 gr/liter sugar, the herbal combination is based on the original Con-

tratto recipe from 1910

white wine (Cortese), cane sugar pure and in caramelized form, italian brandy, water and

over 30 different herbs and spices, which among many more include: mint, ginger, hibiscus

flower, nettle, wormwood, lemon peel, licorice, angelica, rhubarb roots, howthorn, sweet and

bitter orange peel

Fernet is an amaro, a bitter, that falls under the category aromatic spirit. Fernet is made

from a number of herbs and spices with a base of grape distilled spirits. Fernet may be ser-

ved as a digestif after a meal, but may also be served with coffee and espresso or mixed as

a cocktail. It may be served at room temperature or on the rocks.

Ingredient list Fernet:

30% alcohol and 60 gr/l sugar, the herbal combination is based on the original Contratto

recipe from 1920

cane sugar, grappa, water, caramelized sugar and 33 different herbs and spices, which a-

mong many more include:myrrh, chamo- mile, saffron, fennel, aloe, anis, ginger, mint

leaves, clover, rhubarb, licorice, cinna- mon, lemon balm, nutmeg, juniper, etc. 16

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People with Passion...

There are many passionate wine people behind Contratto; one of the most important is

Andrea Rivetti, Giorgio's son, who has had a great love for Champagne for many years.

Andrea has been making classic method sparkling wines from Chardonnay at La Spinet-

ta and now at Contratto he has ample opportunity to live his passion, handling the wine-

making together with his father.

Mauro Ferrero has been working for Contratto since 1978 when he began his apprenti-

ceship and later learned how to become a maker of sparkling wine. The work includes

the general work of cellar management, but also the skilled tasks of rémuage (riddling)

and dégorgement (disgorgement), two crucial steps of making high-quality sparkling

wine. In peak times, Mauro used to disgorge over 2,000 bottles a day, all by hand. Today

this manual skill is an art, as manual disgorgement has been replaced by machines, that

first freeze the yeast in the neck of the bottle, before the cap is opened and the wine

gets disgorged. Mauro today still shows his manual skills to people visiting the winery,

Carlo Rivetti and his son Marco love Champagne and just like the rest of the team fell in

love with this beauty of a winery. Both help to oversee the vineyard work in the Oltrepo

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards and are always available, when an extra pair of

hands is needed. Luca Cigliuti has been with La Spinetta and Contratto for several years.

His great passion and know-how for wine and many years of experience in sales make

him a most valuable asset to the winery. Massimo Dossena and Peter Birks only recently

joined the Contratto team, but they have been passionate wine lovers and experts for

many years. Their passion for great wine brought them to Contratto. They welcome all

visitors, who come to Contratto to taste wine and to see the amazing cellar. In 2004 Anja

Cramer left Germany to start a new venture in the wine world of Piedmont. Her love for

wine and her skills in Marketing have contributed to the sales of La Spinetta over the

past 10 years. Today Anja is also a proud part of the Contratto winery.

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Visiting Contratto...

A visit to the cellars of Contratto is a one-of-a-kind experience. The historical cellars are a

real treasure for the winery and among the finest of their kind. In an elegant edifice built

in Italian Liberty-style, with impressive wrought iron gates and an enchanting cobblesto-

ned courtyard, Contratto winery welcomes its guests. A gallery holds documents and pho-

tos recording the history of the company and, in the "sala dei sacchi" there is a fascina-

ting collection of ancient instruments and machines once used for vinification. The hi-

ghlight of the visit are the 32 meter deep cellars where, for almost 150 years, bottles of

wine produced with the Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grapes have been stored as well as

the tasting of today's high end sparkling wines.

The uniqueness of this cellar is the motivation behind Canelli town council's recent appli-

cation for UNESCO world heritage status, the outcome will be revealed in 2014

CONTRATTO receives visitors from Monday to Sunday (November to March from Monday

to Saturday) by appointment. The maximum group size that can be accommodate at a

time is 30 people. A tasting fee applies to visitors, who do not purchase wines. Please

calculate a minimum of 90 minutes for the tour and the tasting.

To book a visit, please contact:

info@contratto.it

or call Tel: +39 0141 823 349

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La Spinetta and Contratto...

In June 2011 La Spinetta acquired the Contratto winery, a jewel of a cellar in the

heart of old town Canelli. The Rivettis always

have had a strong love for Champagne and

"Bollicine Piemontesi" were missing in the ga-

mut of La Spinetta's wine portfolio. In particu-

lar, Andrea Rivetti, Giorgio Rivetti's son, for

many years had already been making a small

production of Metodo Classico wines at La

Spinetta. They were Chardonay based spar-

klers and produced to his friend's and family's

delight. The love of Champagne and the desire

and ambition to preserve and to continue a

140 year tradition of making Italian sparkling wines in Canelli, made La Spinetta

take over the Contratto winery.

With the same passion for wine making and dedication to quality, which La Spinetta

has had since 1977, the Rivettis aim to make top sparkling wines at Contratto.

As it is a short 20 minute drive from Castagnole Lanze to Canelli, visitors are encou-

raged to visit both cellars, La Spinetta in Castagnole Lanze and Contratto in Canelli.

For more information on La Spinetta and the wines please visit: www.la-

spinetta.com

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Contratto friends around the world...

Join the passion for “great wine with bubbles” and become an official Contratto friend….

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