Franciacorta (wine)
Encyclopedia
Franciacorta is a sparkling wine
from Lombardy with DOCG status produced from grapes grown within the boundaries of the territory of Franciacorta
, on the hills of a series of townships to the south of Lake Iseo
in the Province of Brescia
. It was awarded DOC
status in 1967, the designation then also including red and white still wines. Since 1995 the DOCG classification has applied exclusively to the sparkling wines of the area.
and Pliny the Elder
, and documented in Brescia City council books as "Franzacurta" as far back as in 1277, but were not called Franciacorta until 1957, when Guido Berlucchi released a white wine named Pinot di Franciacorta. An ambitious young winemaker working for Berlucchi, Franco Ziliani, was permitted to pursue an ambition of producing a fine sparkling wine, and in 1961 was allowed to produce for release 3,000 bottles of a sparkling wine, also sold under the name Pinot di Franciacorta. Instant interest allowed the following vintage production to be set at 20,000 bottles, and eventually the annual production was 100,000 bottles. The national prominence that followed was soon exploited by several entrepreneurs from Milan and Brescia, and by the time the region was granted DOC status in 1967 there were 11 producers of sparkling Franciacorta, although Berlucchi represented more than 80% of the production.
With its directives, Franciacorta became the first DOC to specify that its sparkling wines must be made by metodo classico. In 1990, the Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta was formed, instigating codes of self-regulation with a gradual reduction of yields and elimination of the use of Pinot grigio
, becoming the body considered responsible for the efficient elevation of sparkling Franciacorta to DOCG status in 1995. Since August 1, 2003, Franciacorta has been the only Italian wine not obliged to declare its DOCG appellation on the label, in the same manner that a Champagne is permitted to exclude from labels its AOC
.
From 1996 to 2006, sales of Franciacorta grew from 2.9 million to 6.7 million bottles. According to Tom Stevenson
, the Franciacorta region is "the only compact wine area producing world class sparkling wine in Italy".
s in the communes, Adro
, Capriolo
, Cazzago San Martino
, Cellatica
, Coccaglio
, Cologne
, Corte Franca, Erbusco
, Gussago
, Iseo, Monticelli Brusati
, Ome, Paderno Franciacorta
, Paratico
, Passirano, Provaglio d'Iseo
, Rodengo Saiano, Rovato
and Brescia, with soil
conditions described as mineral-rich, granular-sized, calcareous gravel
and sandy morainal soils that cover a limestone bedrock.
The DOCG declared vineyards extend 2200 hectares (5,436.3 acre) and the distribution of permitted grape varieties
are 85% Chardonnay
, 10% Pinot nero
and 5% Pinot bianco
.
Nonvintage Franciacorta (NV) may not be released until at least 25 months after harvest, of which 18 months must be in contact with the yeast in the bottle (compared to 15 months in the case of Champagne). Franciacorta Vintage or Millesimato may not be sold until at least 37 months after harvest, of which 37 months must be in contact with the yeast (similar to Champagne). 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 the use of Chardonnay and/or Pinot bianco permitted, with only 4.5 atmosphere
s of pressure instead of 6.
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.
-style Bianco based either on Chardonnay or Pinot bianco or a blend of both, and a Bordeaux
-style Rosso based on either Cabernet Franc
or Cabernet Sauvignon
or both, and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Nebbiolo and Barbera
. Pinot noir is permitted only in the DOCG sparkling wines, with no option of a Burgundian-style still red wine under the DOC rules.
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
from Lombardy with DOCG status produced from grapes grown within the boundaries of the territory of Franciacorta
Franciacorta
The territory of Franciacorta is a section of the Province of Brescia in the Italian Region of Lombardy. Franciacorta extends north from the plain of the river Po to the shores of Lake Iseo, and from the river Oglio on the western border to the town of Cellatica in the east. The geography of...
, on the hills of a series of townships to the south of Lake Iseo
Lake Iseo
Lake Iseo or Lago d'Iseo or Sebino is the fourth largest lake in Lombardy, Italy, fed by the Oglio river.It is in the north of the country in the Val Camonica area, near the cities of Brescia and Bergamo. The lake is almost equally divided between the Provinces of Bergamo and Brescia...
in the Province of Brescia
Province of Brescia
The Province of Brescia is a Province in Lombardy, Italy. It borders with the province of Sondrio in the N and NW, the province of Bergamo in the W, province of Cremona in the SW and S, the province of Mantova to the S, and to the east, the province of Verona and Trentino .Source for statistical...
. It was awarded DOC
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
status in 1967, the designation then also including red and white still wines. Since 1995 the DOCG classification has applied exclusively to the sparkling wines of the area.
History
The still wines from this area have ancient traditions, referred to by VirgilVirgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
and Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
, and documented in Brescia City council books as "Franzacurta" as far back as in 1277, but were not called Franciacorta until 1957, when Guido Berlucchi released a white wine named Pinot di Franciacorta. An ambitious young winemaker working for Berlucchi, Franco Ziliani, was permitted to pursue an ambition of producing a fine sparkling wine, and in 1961 was allowed to produce for release 3,000 bottles of a sparkling wine, also sold under the name Pinot di Franciacorta. Instant interest allowed the following vintage production to be set at 20,000 bottles, and eventually the annual production was 100,000 bottles. The national prominence that followed was soon exploited by several entrepreneurs from Milan and Brescia, and by the time the region was granted DOC status in 1967 there were 11 producers of sparkling Franciacorta, although Berlucchi represented more than 80% of the production.
With its directives, Franciacorta became the first DOC to specify that its sparkling wines must be made by metodo classico. In 1990, the Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta was formed, instigating codes of self-regulation with a gradual reduction of yields and elimination of the use of Pinot grigio
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, becoming the body considered responsible for the efficient elevation of sparkling Franciacorta to DOCG status in 1995. Since August 1, 2003, Franciacorta has been the only Italian wine not obliged to declare its DOCG appellation on the label, in the same manner that a Champagne is permitted to exclude from labels its AOC
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
.
From 1996 to 2006, sales of Franciacorta grew from 2.9 million to 6.7 million bottles. According to Tom Stevenson
Tom Stevenson
Tom Stevenson is a British author who has been writing about wine for more than 30 years. Described by his colleagues as one of today’s most prolific wine authors, Stevenson is regarded as the world’s leading authority on Champagne...
, the Franciacorta region is "the only compact wine area producing world class sparkling wine in Italy".
Conditions and regulations
Grapes for Franciacorta are grown in strictly delimited vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s in the communes, Adro
Adro
Adro is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy in Franciacorta ....
, Capriolo
Capriolo
Capriolo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is situated directly south of Lago d'Iseo....
, Cazzago San Martino
Cazzago San Martino
Cazzago San Martino is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy in Franciacorta. It is bounded by other communes of Rovato, Ospitaletto.-Geography:The altitude of the commune ranges from above sea level....
, Cellatica
Cellatica
-Geography:Located at the feet of the Brescian Pre-Alps. It is bounded by other communes of Brescia, Collebeato and Gussago. It is located in an area traditionally known for the production of wines....
, Coccaglio
Coccaglio
Coccaglio is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It is approximately 20 km west of Brescia and 35 km southeast of Bergamo....
, Cologne
Cologne (BS)
Cologne is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. Cologne is located in Franciacorta on top of Monte Orfano. The comune is bounded by other communes of Rovato, Coccaglio and Chiari....
, Corte Franca, Erbusco
Erbusco
Erbusco is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy....
, Gussago
Gussago
Gussago is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.This smart town is situated in Franciacorta, a very famous land known for its precious wines...
, Iseo, Monticelli Brusati
Monticelli Brusati
Monticelli Brusati is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy....
, Ome, Paderno Franciacorta
Paderno Franciacorta
Paderno Franciacorta is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy....
, Paratico
Paratico
Paratico is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It is located near Lake Iseo....
, Passirano, Provaglio d'Iseo
Provaglio d'Iseo
Provaglio d'Iseo is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in the Lombardy region in Italy.Provaglio d'Iseo is located in the historical region of Franciacorta, famous for its wine production....
, Rodengo Saiano, Rovato
Rovato
Rovato is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is bounded by other communes of Cologne and Cazzago San Martino. It is located in Franciacorta ar the foot of Monte Orfano.-External links:**...
and Brescia, with soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
conditions described as mineral-rich, granular-sized, calcareous gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
and sandy morainal soils that cover a limestone bedrock.
The DOCG declared vineyards extend 2200 hectares (5,436.3 acre) and the distribution of permitted grape varieties
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
are 85% Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, 10% Pinot nero
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
and 5% Pinot bianco
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
.
Nonvintage Franciacorta (NV) may not be released until at least 25 months after harvest, of which 18 months must be in contact with the yeast in the bottle (compared to 15 months in the case of Champagne). Franciacorta Vintage or Millesimato may not be sold until at least 37 months after harvest, of which 37 months must be in contact with the yeast (similar to Champagne). A Franciacorta rosé
Rosé
A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce 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 the use of Chardonnay and/or Pinot bianco permitted, with only 4.5 atmosphere
Atmosphere (unit)
The standard atmosphere is an international reference pressure defined as 101325 Pa and formerly used as unit of pressure. For practical purposes it has been replaced by the bar which is 105 Pa...
s of pressure instead of 6.
The designations for dosage are exactly as those of Champagne: Pas dosé, or Dosage zéro, Pas opéré, or nature: maximum 2 g
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
/l
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
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.
Terre di Franciacorta
With the creation of the DOCG Franciacorta, the former DOC was renamed Terre di Franciacorta for the still wines. These are made in two types: a BurgundyBurgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
-style Bianco based either on Chardonnay or Pinot bianco or a blend of both, and a Bordeaux
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
-style Rosso based on either Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
or Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
or both, and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Nebbiolo and Barbera
Barbera
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy . It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid...
. Pinot noir is permitted only in the DOCG sparkling wines, with no option of a Burgundian-style still red wine under the DOC rules.
External links
- Franciacorta (DOCG) The Italian Trade Commission
- Terre di Franciacorta (DOC) The Italian Trade Commission