Assessing Franciacorta and the future for ‘Italy’s answer to Champagne’

‘The initial phase is complete. Now it’s time to shift from following the rulebook to creating a culture,’ says Silvano Brescianini, president of Consorzio Franciacorta and CEO of Barone Pizzini. Indeed, the strict production rules that ensured the quality of its wines have played a crucial role in defining Franciacorta’s success. Today, Franciacorta is recognised in the sparkling wine world for the excellent technical quality and stylistic consistency of its wines. The bar was set high when the regulations were established, as the region in many cases set stricter standards than its benchmark, Champagne. For example, while Champagne requires 12 months of lees aging as part of its minimum 15-month maturation, Franciacorta mandates 18 months lees aging.

Yet, some rules are now being revisited. One example is the cap on vineyard elevation, currently set at 550 meters above sea level, a limitation that’s starting to feel outdated in the face of climate change. Franciacorta, with its dramatic hillsides cascading down to Lake Iseo, is home to a remarkable mosaic of 64 soil types and a pre-Alpine climate, lending depth and nuance to its wines. However, the region’s natural amphitheater-shaped terrain is creating increasingly warm microclimates, prompting winemakers to cast their gaze upward, towards higher altitudes that could help preserve crucial freshness, especially in long-aged sparkling styles. While Franciacorta currently enjoys a relative ease in producing balanced Brut Nature wines, there’s a growing awareness that rising temperatures and abundant sunshine could risk tipping the wines toward excessive vinosity. Maintaining finesse and vibrancy will be key to safeguarding the region’s stylistic identity in the years ahead.

Under Brescianini’s leadership, Franciacorta is evolving beyond its established rules. The first Franciacorta Vineyard and Zone Map has been released, and research into sustainability and biodiversity is flourishing. The Erbamat project has revived the ancient native grape variety to complement its traditional grape trio Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.

In terms of innovation, Franciacorta’s wineries are first-class. Ca’ del Bosco, for example, stands out with its grape-washing ‘spa’, ‘flying’ tanks for gravity-flow wine transfer and a patented disgorging method that minimises sulphur dioxide use. The sulphur-sensitives will be glad to read the exact amounts on each wine’s back label.

Bellavista too has been pivotal in elevating Franciacorta’s reputation. The producer’s greatest strength to date has been its pristinely managed vineyards. Together with vine master-pruners Simonit & Sirch, Bellavista has built what founder Vittorio Moretti calls a ‘virtuous circle of man and vineyard’, which they consider integral in a business that is so closely tied to nature. Today, with Moretti’s daughter Francesca at the helm and mentorship from Richard Geoffroy, former chef de cave at Dom Pérignon, Bellavista is shaping a more authoritative expression of its terroir. Geoffroy’s philosophy, ‘We need to stimulate minds, add pleasure, culture, and excitement to the wine’, is guiding the winery into the future. His first blend, Alma Assemblage 1, is just out, signaling the exciting direction Bellavista is taking.

There’s an undeniable buzz in Franciacorta. The producers’ collaborative spirit is palpable, and while the region has seen its exports more than double, only 12% (around 2.3 million bottles) are exported. ‘What we’ve achieved in Italy, we must now replicate internationally,’ concludes Brescianini. With rising global sparkling wine demand and high Champagne prices, Franciacorta’s moment is now.

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