12 Franciacorta Flashcards
Where is the Franciacorta area located
- Lombardy in central northern Italy
Which are the main grape varieties for Franciacorta?
- Chardonnay (75%)
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Blanco (little)
Describe the style of Franciacorta
- aromas of ripe apple and peach
- prominent biscuit autolytic notes
- medium alcohol
- medium (+) acidity
- very good or outstanding quality
- premium priced
How is the DOC for still white and red wines in the Franciacorta area called?
DOC Curtefranca
Describe the climate conditions of the Franciacorta region
- mostly surrounded by low hills and Lake Iseo at the northern boundary
- warm continental with moderating influence (helps grapes ripen regularly while retaining acidity)
- cool air in summer from the Alps
- moderating effect on daily and seasonal temperature ranges from Lake Iseo
- spring frost can be an issue
- adequate rainfall (50% of it in autumn and winter)
- rain in spring: problems in flowering and fruit set
- rain during season: need to combat downy mildew and botrytis
When is the regularly harvest time?
second half of August into September (thereby avoiding autumn rain
How many soil types are present in the Franciacorta region
6
Which aromas are added from the different types of soil?
they add:
- floral notes
- dried fruit notes
- spicy notes
- vegetal notes
Name the different vine training systems used in the Franciacorta region
- cordon training with spur pruning
- replacement-cane pruning (Guyot)
heavy cropping training systems (e.g. pergola and Geneva Double Curtain) are now prohibited
Name the minimum planting density in the Franciacorta region
minimum 4.500 plants/ha
How many estates are organic?
- 75%
- region aspires to be 100% organic
How is the production split between growers and co-operatives?
- very few growers (nearly all grapes are estate grown)
- no co-operatives
How are the regulations for pressing?
- white wines must be whole bunch pressed (ensure high-quality juice and low phenolics)
- Pinot Noir for rosé and red can be destemmed
- maximum pressing yield is 65hl/ha
How is the must mostly fermented?
- in stainless steel tanks to preserve primary fruit aromas
- for “Millesimato and Riserva wines” old oak is sometimes used to add complexity
- MLC is used and not used
Do the producer use reserve wines?
- small producer do seldom us reserve wines
- larger producer do use reserve wines
Why is the vintage often not be labelled?
due to the long required time on the lees
How is the second fermentation be performed
traditional method
Name the different styles of Franciacorta
- Non-vintage
- Satèn
- Rosé
- Millesimato
- Riserva
Name the different time on lees required by the regulation
- Non-vintage: 18 month
- Satèn: 24 month
- Rosé: 24 month
- Millesimato: 30 month
- Riserva: 60 month
Name the facts of a Non-vintage Franciacorta
- typically Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blends (up to 50% Pinot Blanco)
- minimum of 18 month on the lees
- in reality often made form a single vintage
Name the facts of a Satèn Franciacorta
- only white grapes (in practice mostly 100% Chardonnay
- minimum of 24 month on the lees
- slightly less sugar at triage (resulting in not more than 5bar pressure)
- only Brut style
Name the facts of a Rosé Franciacorta
- minimum of 35% Pinot Noir
- mostly blends of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- colour form Pinot Noir can be extracted from direct pressing or maceration on skins
- blending with red wine is also permitted
- minimum of 24 month on the lees
Name the facts of a Millesimato Franciacorta
- vintage wines
- minimum of 85% of the vintage
- minimum of 30 month on the lees
Name the facts of a Riserva Franciacorta
- millesimato wines
- minimum of 60 month on the lees
Which PDO status has Franciacorta?
DOCG
How is domestic consumption and the export split?
- 90% domestic consumption
- 10% export
Which are the main export countries?
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Germany
- USA (account around 60%)
How is the production size divided?
production is divided between three large companies (one-third of production) and many medium and small-sized estates
