Franciacorta Flashcards
What is Franciacorta?
1) Italy’s largest producing regions for traditional method spk wines
2) It pitches itself as “italian-made” competition for very good to outstanding quality Champagne.
1) Climate and mesoclimatic influences?
2) Climatic hazards?
3) Vineyard location?
4) Soils?
5) Vintage variation
6) Permitted varieties?
7) Training systems?
8) Min planting density?
9) Structure of the industry?
1) Warm continental climate, cooling influence from the Alpes and moderating influence from Lake Iseo.
2) Spring frost can be an issue
3) Most vineyards are located on gentle slopes
4) Soils: formed through the action of glaciers and give a range of expressions used in blending
5) Very little vintage variation
6) Permitted varieties: Chardonnay (75%), Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.
7) Training systems: cordon with spur pruning or guyot have become the norm.
8) Min density planting: 4500 plants / ha
9) Many states (75%) are organic; regions aims to be 100% organic
10) Few growers, no coops
Describe the wineming in Franciacorta, including yield after pressing, fermenting / ageing vessels and use of reserve wines.
1) Hand harvesting
2) Whole bunch pressing
3) Yield after pressing: 65hL/ha
4) Fermentation / ageing of the base wine: mostly stainless steel; oak may be used for Millesimato and Riserva
5) Only larger producers use reserve wines, so most of the wines tend to be vintage, not labelled as such because of the extend lees ageing required.
6) Follows Traditional Method techiniques
What are the styles of Franciacorta, grapes used and lees ageing?
1) NV: typically Chardonnay / Pinot Noir blend, may also have 50% Pinot Blanc. 18 months on lees
2) Saten: white grapes only (practically 100% Chard), 24 months on lees, no more than 5 atm of pressure.
3) Rose: min 35% Pinot Noir, skin contact, 24 months on lees
4) Millesimato: vintage declared (min 85% of wine that vintage), 30 months on lees
5) Riserva: millesimato wines that have spent 60 months on lees.
