Franciacorta – Italian Finesse!

Franciacorta is a one of Italy’s most highly regarded wine region known for producing high-quality sparkling wines which are similar in quality and style to Champagne. Franciacorta is located in Lombardy, northern Italy.  The Franciacorta wine region is located in the Brescia province, in the hills immediately south-east of the foot of Lake Iseo. Franciacorta was awarded DOC status in 1967 for sparkling, red and white still wines as well. In 1995 DOCG status was awarded exclusively to the sparkling wines of the area. 

@Vineyards of Franciacorta.

Still wines have been produced in the Bresia province since ages and were reffered to as "Franzacurta" as per the city records. Although sparkling wines from Franciacorta can be compared with the ones from Champagne, Franciacorta's history dates back just 50 years where as Champagnes history goes back to almost 3 and a half century. The first sparkling wine to bear the name Franciacorta was created by the Berlucchi winery in the late 1950s. It was due to the efforts of a winemaker working for Berlucchi, Franco Ziliani that we see sparkling Franciacorta today. 

High-quality sparkling wine is made using the Méthode Champenoise from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (with limited amounts of Pinot Blanc). Grapes for Franciacorta are grown in strictly delimited vineyards in the communes around Brescia. The soil profile is mineral-rich, granular-sized, calcareous gravel and sandy morainal soils that cover a limestone bedrock. The DOCG declared vineyards extend 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) and the grape varieties are 85% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot nero and 5% Pinot bianco. A Franciacorta rosé must contain at least 15% Pinot nero, and may be made by blending red wine. Franciacorta Satèn must be a Blanc de blancs with only using Chardonnay and/or Pinot Bianco.

The styles of Franciacorta produced are very similar to Champagne.All Franciacorta wine is bottle-aged on its lees, to enchance its complexity and flavor. 

- Nonvintage Franciacorta (NV) – The wine must be aged for a total of 25 months after harvest out of which the wine must spend 18 months on lees.

- Franciacorta Rosé & Franciacorta Satèn - The wine must be aged for a total of 31 months after harvest out of which the wine must spend 24 months on lees.

- Franciacorta Vintage or Millesimato - The wine must be aged for a total of 37 months after harvest out of which the wine must spend 30 months is on lees.

- Franciacorta Riserva - The wine must be aged for a total of 67 months after harvest out of which the wine must spend 60 months is on lees.

The designations for dosage are exactly as those of Champagne: 

- Pas dosé, or Dosage zéro, Pas opéré, or nature: maximum 2 g/l of residual sugar

- Extra brut: 6 g/l

- Brut: 15 g/l

- Extra dry: 12–20 g/l

- Sec: 17–35 g/l

- Demi-sec: 33–50 g/l.

Let’s take a look at some of the legendary producers who are credited for the rise in prominence of Franciacorta.

Berlucchi 

The pioneers of Franciacorta. The first ones the bottle wines with the name Franciacorta, Guido Berlucchi released a white wine named Pinot di Franciacorta in 1961. Pinot di Franciacorta was re-named Cuvée Imperiale, and the Cellarius Millesimati (vintage-dated) Franciacortas emerged. Some of the iconic wines are:

• Berlucchi, Cuvee Imperiale Brut

• Berlucchi, '61 Brut

• Berlucchi, Cuvee Imperiale Max Rosé

• Berlucchi, Palazzo Lana Extreme Brut

@Berlucchi, Cuvee Imperiale Brut.

Ca' del Bosco

Ca' del Bosco is regarded as one of Italy's very best sparkling wine houses. Ca' del Bosco was founded when Annamaria Clementi moved to Erbusco, bought a small hillside house called Ca'del Bosc with 2ha (5 acres) of land and planted vines. The first wine was produced in 1972. The estate was developed and grown by her son, Maurizio Zanella The estate is made up of 184 hectares (455 acres) of vineyards. The most prestigious cuvée from the house are:

• Ca' del Bosco, Cuvee Annamaria Clementi

• Ca' del Bosco, Cuvee Prestige Brut

• Ca' del Bosco, Cuvee Annamaria Clementi Rosé

• Ca' del Bosco, Dosage Zero Millesimato

@Ca' del Bosco, Cuvee Annamaria Clementi.

Bellavista

Bellavista was founded  in 1977 by Vittorio Moretti. The estate has about 190 hectares (470 acres) of vineyard land spread across 10 communes in the Franciacorta DOCG zone. The top cuvee of the house are:

• Bellavista 'Alma' Cuvee Brut

• Bellavista Riserva Vittorio Moretti Extra Brut

• Bellavista Saten Millesimato

• Bellavista 'Alma' Grande Cuvee Non Dosato

@Bellavista Saten Millesimato.

Article by - Kevin Rodrigues, Certified Sommelier.