Franciacorta Wine Region
(Frahn · chi · ah · cort · ah)
When wine lovers think of Italian bubbles, many minds leap quickly to Prosecco. But they should consider the sparkling wines from the Franciacorta Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), too, located 65 miles east of Milan. Interestingly, this wine has more in common with French Champagne than its better-known Italian cousin.
History of the Franciacorta Wine Region
As with other parts of Italy, wine production has been a longstanding activity of this region, with records dating back to the 8th century. Sparkling wines also have a long history in Franciacorta, even if the notion of what a sparkling wine is has changed considerably over the centuries.
The oldest reference to sparkling wines in the area comes from Girolamo Conforti, a doctor who wrote about wine in the mid-16th century. In his treatise, titled Libellus de Vino Mordaci, he described the region’s wines as “lively and frothy” and remarked that they were “tangy tasting wines, which do not dry out the mouth in the way acerbic and austere wines do and do not soften the tongue like sweet wines.” Another early mention comes courtesy of the agronomist Agostino Gallo who, in 1564, made note of Cisiolo—an age-worthy, sweet sparkling white wine derived from red grapes. (It’s also referred to as vino mordace in his book Le vinti giornate dell’agricoltura.) Fast forward to 1809, when nearly 2,500 acres in the area were devoted to making Mordace and other similar wines.
Despite centuries of making sparkling wine, production in Franciacorta flew under the radar until the 1960s. That is when the critic Franco Ziliani introduced the French méthode Champenoise to the region while working for the winemaker Guido Berlucchi. In this approach, which is also known as méthode traditionelle, the second fermentation happens in the bottle. (In comparison, Prosecco is made using the Charmat method where the secondary fermentation happens in steel tanks.)
The first vintage of méthode traditionelle was in 1961 and consisted of 3,000 bottles of Pinot di Franciacorta. This release sparked a revolution in the region. With new producers jumping on the bandwagon, the area earned its Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) designation in 1967.
In 1990, 20 producers in Franciacorta established a consortium to regulate principles, rules and standards for the region’s sparkling wines. This included eliminating the use of Pinot Grigio. Through its efforts, the region was awarded a DOCG designation, which is reserved for the highest quality wines in Italy, in 1995.
Geography and Climate of the Franciacorta Wine Region
Franciacorta is in the Lombardy region of Italy. It’s bounded by the city of Brescia to the east, the Oglio river to the west, Lake Iseo to the north and Mt. Orfano to the south. The topography is amphitheater-shaped, a result of glacial movements that left behind rolling hills and soils rich in minerals, sand and silt. Vineyards are permitted to be planted up to 1,800 feet in elevation.
Franciacorta experiences a warm microclimate with cooling nighttime breezes, conditions that allow the grapes to retain their acidity as they grow. The area receives approximately two-thirds of its annual 20 to 24 inches of rainfall during the April to October growing period.
Grapes of the Franciacorta Wine Region
Given its dedication to French production methods, it is no surprise that Chardonnay is the most widely grown grape in the area, with over 80% of the vineyards devoted to it. Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero are also permitted under local regulations, with Pinot Nero accounting for 15% of the plantings and Pinot Bianco 5%.
In 2019, vineyard owners were also given permission to plant and use Erbamat, which is a white grape native to the area. Erbamat ripens late in the season and offers neutral flavor but maintains high levels of acidity, enabling it to introduce freshness to a blend. The grape is a challenge for growers as it requires lots of sun and poorer quality soils.
Wine Production in the Franciacorta Wine Region
Over 7,000 acres of vineyards are planted in the DOCG. They produce enough grapes for over 120 wineries to release 20 million bottles per year. Most of Franciacorta’s production (nearly 90%) is sold in Italy. Its main export markets have been Switzerland (21.8% of total exports), Japan (14.2%), Germany (11.9%), the United States (11.8%) and Belgium (5.2%).
Classification of Wine in the Franciacorta Wine Region
Sparkling wines from Franciacorta are usually one of the following:
- Spumante: Minimum 50% Chardonnay and/or Pinot Nero; maximum 50% Pinot Bianco; maximum 10% Erbamat
- Rosé/Rosato Spumante: Minimum 35% Pinot Nero; maximum 65% Chardonnay; maximum 50% Pinot Bianco; maximum 10% Erbamat
- Satèn Spumante: Minimum 50% Chardonnay; maximum 50% Pinot Bianco; minimum 24 months on lees and less sugar on tirage
- Non-Vintage: Minimum 18 months on lees
- Millesimato: Thirty months on lees and 85% of the grapes from a single vintage; cannot be sold before 37 months after harvest
- Riserva: Sixty months on lees
The region also makes still wines—in the Terre di Franciacorta Bianco and Terre di Franciacorta Rosso appellations—from Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Noir. The Rossos use at least 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Merlot (minimum 10%), Barbera (minimum 10%) and Nebbiolo (minimum 10%).
Famous Wines of the Franciacorta Wine Region
While Franciacorta’s sparkling wine might not be as familiar as Champagne’s, it has a few celebrity associations. Ca’ Del Bosco was, at one point, the official wine of Milan Fashion Week. Meanwhile, Franciacorta has been the official sparkling wine provider to the Emmy Awards since 2021.
Within the region, there are a few standouts. Barone Pizzini, a winery that opened in 1870, staked its claim as the first organic Franciacorta in 1997. Berlucci makes some of the region’s most expensive bottles. Other notable wineries include Bellavista, Colline della Stella, Corte Fusia and Ferghettina.
Fun Facts About the Franciacorta Wine Region
There are a number of competing stories about how Franciacorta got its name and what it means. Some say it stands for “short France.” Others argue its roots are Latin, with francae curtes referring to Frankish courts (of the Kingdom of the Franks) and meaning “exempt from taxation,” which refers to tax-free monastic communities and trading zones dating back to the Middle Ages.
