Ch.12 – Franciacorta

Question 1

Describe Franciacorta

Answer 1

• Italy’s largest region for traditional sparkling wines
• Principally Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
• Loacted in Lombardy, central northern Italy
• Compact zone, surrounded by low hills, Lake Iseo at Northern boundary
• Aims to be Italian-made competition for Champagne
• Ripe apple & peach fruit, prominent biscuit autolytic notes, med alcohol, med (+) acidity
• Very good/outstanding, premium priced

Question 2

Climate of Franciacorta

Answer 2

• Warm continental moderated by
  
  • cool air from Alps during summer
  • Lake Iseo
• Spring frost occasionally issue (eg 2017)
• Fruit ripens whilst retaining acidity
• Most vineyards on gentle slopes
• Adequate rain - Spring/Summer good growing. Irrigation installed, can be used if nec.

Question 3

Soils of Franciacorta

Answer 3

• Mixed 6 types cos of glacial action, emphasizing different floral, dried fruit and spicy, vegetal notes
  *

Question 4

Harvest in Franciacorta

Answer 4

• Hand-picked
• Pick early (second half August/ early Sept) to avoid Autumn rain. Shorter ripening period than Trento
• Vintage variation limited (beware cold wet 2014)

Question 5

Grapes of Franciacorta

Answer 5

• Chardonnay 75%
• Pinot Noir
• a little Pinot Blanc
  *

Question 6

Vineyard management of Franciacorta

Answer 6

Aiming to compete with champagne, so everything to improve quality

• New vineyards minimum density 4500 vines/ha
• Banned heavy cropping systems (eg pergola. Geneva Double-Curtain)
• Since 1990s cordon training with spur pruning/ head-trained with replacement cane pruning (Guyot)
• 75% estates organic (aiming 100%)
• All grapes estate grown - contributes to high quality

Question 7

Wine making in Franciacorta

Answer 7

• 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 can use some old oak - complexity
• Practice varies regarding malo
• Large producers use reserve wines for complexity
• Traditional method
• Min lees aging is high - 18 mths for basic NV - though often exceeded

Question 8

The 5 styles of Franciacorta

Answer 8

1. Non-Vintage Franciacorta
2. Satèn
3. Rosé
4. Millesimato
5. Riserva

Question 9

Non-Vintage Franciacorta

Answer 9

• Chard- Pinot Noir but 50% Pinot Blanc allowed
• min 18 mths lees
• in reality usually single vintage

Question 10

Satèn

Answer 10

• Franciacorta
• white grapes only (us 100% Chardonnay)
• min 24mths on lees
• less sugar at tirage for pressure no more than 5 bars
• only a Brut style

Question 11

Franciacorta Rosé

Answer 11

• From 2018 min 35% Pinot Noir
• Minimum 24 mths on lees
• Colour usually skin contact with Pinot Noir portion, but blending with red is permitted

Question 12

Millesimato Franciacorta and Riserva Franciacorta

Answer 12

• Millesimato
  
  • Vines with vintage declared
  • Minimum 85% fruit from that year
  • Min 30 months on lees
• Riserva are Millesimato wines with min 60 mths on lees

Question 13

Sweetness levels of Franciacorta

Answer 13

• As per standard EU, incl dossagio zero (Brut Nature)
• NB In practice dosage is us added at lower levels (eg Brut may only be 6g/l or less)

Question 14

Legal wine status of Franciacorta

Answer 14

• Originally DOC, promoted to DOCG
• Since 2003 simply “Franciacorta” (like Champagne)

Question 15

What is the Franciacorta Consorzio

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Wine Business in Franciacorta

Answer 16

• 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 17m bts
• 90% Italy (mainly hospitality)
• Main exports (60%) Japan, Switzerland, Germany, USA