FRANCIACORTA - ITALY’S ANSWER TO CHAMPAGNE!
Are you a lover of all things bubbly when it comes to your wine? Let’s be honest - who isn’t, right? Whether it be for a celebration, a special milestone, the end of a particularly hard week or the perfect pairing for a beautiful cheese platter, there are a multitude of reasons why people love a good sparkling wine. And you’ll notice that I’ve said sparkling wine and not Champagne. This is because Champagne is a defined region in France, located just 90 kms outside of Paris, and the only sparkling wine that can be called Champagne is the sparkling wine that comes from here. Any and all other sparkling wine coming from other places must be called something else, even if it is made in the exact same way that Champagne is made.
And there is a good reason for this. “Champagne” is a very prestigious moniker that the French Champagne houses rightly want to protect. This is the beverage of many a celebrated historical figure after all! Champagne is also made in a very specific way, with second fermentation (i.e. the addition of bubbles to the basic still wine) occurring in bottle. Other specific techniques such as riddling and disgorgement are also required, which causes Champagne to be more expensive to make and also therefore generally more expensive for the end customer. Many people around the world use the term Champagne to refer to all sparkling wine but it is a mistake to do so - it is in fact illegal to call something Champagne if it is not from Champagne!
But the thing is sparkling wine, and wine quite similar in style to Champagne, is being made all over the world. And some of it is incredibly good and can offer a great value alternative to its more expensive cousin, Champagne! If you’re familiar with Cava, this is a style that is made in the same way as Champagne. Another example that was relatively unknown to me until recently is Franciacorta. Now that I know about it, I think it’s a beautiful sparkling wine from Italy that you should definitely know about!
What is Franciacorta, you ask?
When thinking of Italy, you might not immediately think of sparkling wine. And if you do, your first thought might actually be to think of Prosecco, which is a very well known “ladies brunch” fan favourite. Not that many people will actually know about or think of Franciacorta. But these two styles of wine are incredibly different and if you’re a serious Champagne aficionado, then Franciacorta will surely float your boat!
Pronounced “fran-cha-korta”, this sparkling wine hails from Lombardy in northern Italy, from a specific region that is in the hills nearby Lake Iseo. While it is said that vines have been planted here for hundreds of years, Franciacorta only started to pick up steam in 1967 when the region was awarded DOC status. Things really picked up in 1995, when the sparkling wines from this region were awarded DOCG (i.e. the highest level) status. Since then, much has been done to advance and distinguish these sparkling wines in Italy and around the globe and it shows. Franciacorta is widely acknowledged as being Italy’s best sparkling wine, and is beginning to take its place on the world stage as well.
NOTE: If you’re interested in learning more about the differences between Prosecco and Franciacorta, I highly recommend checking out these two articles written by Vinepair and Town and Country Magazine!
So what makes Franciacorta so good?
Highly regulated in a manner commensurate with the best wine regions in the world, including Champagne, Franciacorta is made under very strict rules that aim to guarantee a certain level of quality. For example, grapes used in the wine must come from specific vineyards in the region.
The climatic conditions under which this wine is made are also very favourable, in that the region is protected all around by mountains and tall hills and the temperature conditions here during the growing season are nearly ideal.
The soil in the region is also special. Having been formed through glacial activity eons ago, the resulting rocky and sandy soil is high in minerals and drains well, all things that do good things for grapes.
In addition, the grapes used to make the sparkling wine from this region are almost identical to those used in Champagne, namely Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.
Another very important factor is that the winemaking techniques employed are very similar to those utilized in Champagne. For example:
Franciacorta is made using the “traditional method”, which is exactly how Champagne is made. Essentially, second fermentation (i.e. the addition of the bubbles that we all love so much) happens in the bottle instead of in a tank, which is a much cheaper way of doing things.
The wine itself cannot be released until 25 months after harvest (minimum) and must spend at least 18 months on lees (again, a minimum). Vintage and/or more special versions follow even stricter rules. In all instances, the aging requirements match or exceed those in Champagne.
All of these factors add up to ensure that Franciacorta is as special as you might expect world-class Champagne to be! And the best part is that it is often much more affordable too!
Franciacorta - A Few More Important Things to Know
In addition to the above, there are a few key facts that you should remember if you are thinking of adding Franciacorta to your repertoire and that you’ll find helpful when you are next out at the local liquor store:
Franciacorta comes in both Vintage and Non-Vintage versions
Franciacorta can be made in varying levels of sweetness so watch out for these indicators on the label to know how sweet your wine is going to be and ensure it aligns to your tastes:
Pas Dosé (Zero Dosage),
Extra Brut,
Brut,
Extra Dry,
Sec (Dry) or
Demi-Sec.
These sweetness levels pretty much mirror what you find in Champagne
This sparkling wine is made in different styles and each style comes with its own specifications!
Franciacorta: made with a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco
Satèn - the “blanc de blanc” equivalent, made with only Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco
Franciacorta Rosé - just as the name suggests, a pink sparkling wine :)
Franciacorta Millesimato - a vintage wine, made in a specific year and only those years where quality is very high. Longer aging requirements apply.
Franciacorta Riserva - made only in the most exceptional vintages, this wine is required to age on lees for at least five years and therefore is not released to market for at least 67 months!
Franciacorta, like Champagne, is generally a food friendly wine. You can pair it with just about any food and any occasion!
Ca’ del Bosco: An Important Franciacorta Producer
Ok, so now that you know the basics, let me share a wine with you that I recently had. There are so many great examples out there, but it always helps to have a friend tell you where might be a good place to start, right? ;-)
Made by an iconic Franciacorta producer, this wine is the affordable entry level offering in this winery’s extensive lineup. And it’s so delicious!
My Tasting Notes
Luscious, fresh and full of bubbles that dance in your mouth, this sparkling wine is perfectly pleasing for any occasion. The wine is bright and has playful acidity, and on the palate has rich notes of lemon, apple/pear, almond, pastry and biscuit. The wine is an Extra Brut and is therefore quite dry, which is just perfect for those who like a crisp, clean sparkling wine or Champagne.
My Pairing Suggestion
While this wine would be awesome for a party or special gathering, I personally enjoyed it on a quiet Saturday night at home with my family and some sushi and I thought that worked just perfectly! :)) I think you could also easily pair this with a cheese board, or oysters! For the more adventurous, I’d even suggest pairing this with Indian food that is not too spicy.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it folks - Franciacorta in a nutshell! I hope you’ll give this wine a try at some point. If you do, do let me know what you think. And if you’re already a fan, good for you - be sure to drop me a line and tell me who some of your favourite producers are! I certainly want to try more!
Intrigued and want to know more about Franciacorta? Here are some good articles that I would recommend you read to learn more about this awesome wine style. I’ve included a few sources that I think provide a good in depth review:
All About Franciacorta, from the source
Cheers to you and yours!