12 Italy Franciacorta

Question 1

Describe Franciacorta

Answer 1

• Italy’s largest region for traditional sparkling wines
• Principally Chardonnay (75%) & Pinot Noir, some Pinot Blanc
• Loacted in Lombardy, central northern Italy
• High standard for viticulture and winemaking
• Aims to be Italian-made vg/os competition for Champagne
• Ripe apple & peach fruit, prominent biscuit autolytic notes,
  
  • med alcohol, med (+) acidity
• Vg/ OS prem priced

Question 2

Describe Growing Environment / Grape Growing Franciacorta

Answer 2

• Compact zone, surrounded by low hills, Lake Iseo at Northern boundary
• Warm continental moderated by
  
  • cool air from Alps during summer
  • Lake Iseo (daily and seasonal temp range)
• Spring frost occasionally issue
• Fruit ripens whilst retaining acidity
• Most vineyards on gentle slopes
• Adequate rain
  
  • spring (fruit set risk) autumn /winter - risk to harvest
  • downy mildew and BBR are challenges
• Irrigation installed, can be used if nec.
• Soils
  
  • mixed - results in range of expression in base wine (blended for complexity)
  • diff soils emphasise floral/dried fruit/spicey/vegetal
• Harvest
  
  • Hand picked
  • Late Aug/Sept - avoids rain but shortens ripening time.
• Vintage variation limited.

Question 3

Varieties and Vineyard management of Franciacorta

Answer 3

• Chardonnay 75%
• Pinot Noir
• a little Pinot Blanc
• since 2017 Franciacorta blends may have 10% local var Erbamat - hi acid

Aiming to compete with champagne, so everything to improve quality

• Planting density 4500 vines/ha
• Banned heavy cropping systems (eg pergola. Geneva Double-Curtain)
• Since 1990s
  
  • cordon trained, spur pruned OR
  • head-trained, replacement cane pruned (Guyot)
• 75% estates and organic (aiming 100%)
• Few growers / no co-ops
• Estates have resources + motivation to grow Q fruit => quality wine.

Question 4

Wine making in Franciacorta

Answer 4

• Trad method
• Whites: Whole bunch pressed to ensure high quality/ low phenolic
• (Direct pressing allowed for rosé and red for blending)
• max yield after pressing 65 hL/ha
• Ferment and age in stainless steel - primary fruit
• Millesimato & Riserva - portion of wine can be aged in old oak - complexity
• May / may not allow malo
• Large producers may use reserve wines for complexity
• Min lees aging- 18 mths for basic NV - though often exceeded (pron autolytic aromas)

Question 5

The 5 styles of Franciacorta

Answer 5

• Non-Vintage Franciacorta
  
  • Chard & PN, up to 50% PB, min 18 mth lees ageing
  • Often from fruit of 1 vintage
• Satèn
  
  • Only white grapes permitted, in practice mostly 100% Chard
  • 24 mth lees
  • slightly less sugar at Tirage - pressure not more than 5 Bars
  • made only in Brut style
• Rosé
  
  • Mb min 35% PN, most are PN and Chard blend
  • Prod may extract colour by direct press/short maceration/blending
  • Min 24mth lees
• Millesimato
  
  • Vintage = 85% fruit from that year
  • Min 30 mth on lees
• Riserva
  
  • A millesimato wine, with 60 mth on lees.

Question 6

Labelling of Sweetness levels of Franciacorta

Answer 6

• As per standard EU, incl dossagio zero (Brut Nature)
• NB In practice Franciacorta is often at the lower level of the band.

Question 7

What is the Franciacorta Consorzio

Answer 7

• Body representing all producers
• Carried out zoning studies to help understand soil types with a view to raising quality

Question 8

Wine Business in Franciacorta

Answer 8

• Originally DOC, promoted to DOCG
  
  • Since 2003 simply “Franciacorta” (like Champagne)
• Three large companies make 1/3 all Franciacorta
  
  • Guido Berlucci - the pioneer
  • Ca’ del Bosco
  • Bellavista
• Many med/ small estates
• 2007-2016 production doubled to 17.5m bts
• 90% sales domestic (mainly hospitality)
• Main exports >60% to CH, Japan, , Germany, USA