Franciacorta (Franciacorta) – a small area in Lombardia (North Central Italy), the well-known high-quality sparkling wines with the status of Franciacorta DOCG in the Italian wine classification.
Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc (limited)
Franciacorta received its name from curtes francae – fortifications of the Franks, built in the VIII century.
Still wines from the region are on the label of a similar name, but different lad – Curtefranca DOC (2008. Formerly Terre di Franciacorta).
Sparkling wine Franciacorta is made in the style of sparkling wines in the classic champagne technology, while most Italian sparkling wines are made according to a simplified method of Sharma.
Unlike the famous Asti and Prosecco, the sparkling wine Franciacorta – this is expressed terroir wines that can be searched and bouquet, and complexity, and they are valid to compare to champagne, despite the fact that the history of sparkling wine Franciacorta has 50 years old, and the champagne – 350.
Franciacorta is produced in the vintage (the harvest of one year) and non-vintage versions.
Nevintazhnoe Franciacorta goes on sale not earlier than 25 months after harvest, of which 18 months the wine spends in the bottle, aging on the lees (that’s more than champagne whose aging sur lie is 15 months). The longer aging on the lees, the more subtle and refined bouquet turns out.
Franciacorta Millesimato – millesime (vintage or that one and the same) of Franciacorta. Aged on the lees for as much as champagne is 30 months. To go on sale millesime may not be earlier than 37 months after the harvest.
Pink Franciacorta contains at least 25% Pinot Noir base wine. As in the case of champagne, you can do sparkling rose wine by mixing white and red. We are talking about the blending of base wines is their secondary fermentation should take place together.
Franciacorta Saten (Franciacorta Saten) – the Lombard version of the French Blanc de Blanc (“white from white”). Saten is made from only Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. Another difference Franciacorta Saten is a lower pressure in the bottle (4.5 ATM. instead of 6).
Franciacorta riserva sparkling wine, which was aged for at least 5 years.
One of the key points in the success of sparkling wines of Franciacorta, in addition to the diligence of the local winemakers is, of course, terroir is a very good combination of climate and soil.
Warm and Sunny summer days give way to cool nights, giving the grapes a unique opportunity to ripen without losing acidity, which is extremely important in the production of sparkling wines. On the whole, the average temperature during the growing season remains relatively constant, due to the smoothing effect of lake Iseo.
The terrain here is also the hand of the winemakers. At the macro-level of the Alps protects Northern Italy from continental influences of Central Europe, at the local level – the hills that cover the vineyards.
Gravel stony soil well drained and rich in minerals, is an ideal environment for high-quality wine.
In addition to Franciacorta in Lombardy (southern) is produced and other sparkling wine by the classical technology – Oltrepo ‘ Pavese Metodo Classico, which outside of Italy is known except that particularly keen enthusiasts. The main variety in these wines – Pinot Noir, although permitted-Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay. It is available in sparkling white and pink version. The status of this wine is also higher, as Franciacorta – DOCG.
Quiet wine Curtefranca DOC, produced in Lombardy, too, are in the shadow of sparkling Franciacorta and little known, but worthy of attention, if by chance you happen to try them. White is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco in the blend or monosortovymi, and red, mostly from Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and small amounts of Barbera, Merlot and Nebbiolo (from which they make the famous Piedmont Barolo).