Franciacorta: Fine Bollicine

Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching, and it is tradition to celebrate with sparkling wines. The most obvious Italian choice is Franciacorta, a superb sparkling wine produced between the city of Brescia and lake Iseo. I have written extensively on the region in the past (read the article here), and the wines being made have not changed since then.

The vintages have, however.

As is the case in some other sparkling wine appellations, Franciacorta producers are not required to state the vintage on their bottles. A non-vintage wine is not necessarily inferior; producers often blend more than one vintage to obtain a sum whose whole is greater than its component parts. Because of this blending, non-vintage wines tend to be more consistent year-to-year. Vintage wines are instead made with the wine from a given vintage, and since each vintage is different are less consistent, or, if you will, more individual. And like individuals can be better or worse than the average.

This year most of the vintage wines presented were 2005 and 2004, which are very different. 2005 was wet and cool, and therefore difficult; there were problems with ripening and many Italian 2005 wines, reds especially, are strident and brambly with thin sour fruit, and the problem also carried over to still whites, many of which were distinctly acidic. Acidity is much less of a problem in sparkling wines, however, as it serve to provide a backbone for the sparkle to build upon, and therefore 2005 was a good vintage for Franciacorta, with wines that are lively, bracing, and quite nice to drink.

From a general standpoint the 2004 vintage was much better than the 2005, and it did result in Franciacorta that is quite different: Richer, curvier wines that are more powerful and more structured, though (fortunately) neither overripe nor soft.

There were also a few older wines, in particular a couple of 2003s whose richness did echo the heat of the 2003 vintage, and a couple of 2002s, one of which was bright, brash, and spellbinding, with all the acidity one would expect from one of the wettest and coolest vintages in recent memory.


Having spoken of the vintages, a couple of words about the tasting. It was beautifully organized. Unfortunately, due to other commitments I was not able to spend as much time there as I would have liked, and was forced to taste a selection of wineries rather than everyone.

The Wines, In The Order Tasted:

Azienda Agricola Villa
Villa Franciacorta Satèn 2005
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. Rich nose with moist bread crumbs mingled with savory accents and minerality; it also gives an impression of softness. Quite a bit going on. On the palate it's rich and elegantly mineral supported by gunflint bitterness and slight pepper from the sparkle, which is creamy, and flows into a bright savory finish. Considerable depth and more complex than many Satèns. A nice aperitif and a good, nay, excellent introduction to the wine if you have never tried it. There's a touch more acidity than in some other vintages, and this is because it was cooler.
88-91

Villa Cuvette Franciacorta Brut 2004
Pale brassy greenish white with fine perlage. Elegant bouquet; it's vinous with gunflint and breadcrumbs, and pleasant underlying savory bitterness. Great depth and considerable richness. On the palate it's full, and rich, with enticing creaminess from the sparkle, mingled with lemon laced bitter minerality that flows into a long clean bitter mineral finish. Quite nice, beautifully refreshing, and is one of those wines one can converse with.
91-2

Villa Diamant Franciacorta Pas Dosè 2004
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is deft, with mineral accents mingled with some gunflint and savory notes, and underlying lemony citrus. Very nice. On the palate it's rich, with bright mineral-laced lemon fruit that gains depth from deft bitterness and a bracingly creamy feel from the sparkle, which flows into a clean bitter finish. Great depth and elegance, with lively mineral acidity, and will drink very well as an aperitif or at table.
92

Uberti
Uberti Franciacorta Extra Brut (Non Vintage)
Brassy yellow with fine perlage. Intense bouquet with considerable gunflint -- like a hammer striking granite -- and some minerality mingled with wet breadcrumbs, some spice, and hints of caramel. On the palate it's full and a touch laxer than I had expected, with moderate bitterness and savory accents that flow into a very bitter finish.
2 stars

Uberti Franciacorta Satèn (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy gold with golden reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with greenish floral and vegetal accents supported by deft acidity; it gives an impression of softness, though some gunflint provides depth. On the palate it's ample and soft, with rich white berry fruit supported by creamy sparkle, while the finish is clean and bitter, with mineral acidity providing direction. A distinct step up from the Extra Erut, an appealing, eminently approachable wine.
90

Ricci Curbastro
Ricci Curbastro Franciacorta Gualberto Dosaggio Zero 2003
A magnum. Pale brassy greenish yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is deft, with minerality and toasted breadcrumbs supported by bitterness and gunflint. Nice balance. On the palate it's bracingly dry, with rich savory minerality supported by sparkle that flows into a clean savory finish. Pleasant and with quite a bit to say; it's drier and more toned (like an athlete) than I might have expected a 2003 to be -- none of the overripeness that plagues the vintage.
2 stars

Ricci Curbastro Franciacorta Satèn 2005
Pale brassy yellow with brassy greenish reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is moderately intense, with greenish vegetal accents and some minerality. Direct but pleasant. On the palate it's full and soft, with moderate sparkle and nice creaminess supported by savory accents and some citric acidity. A classic Satèn, and very approachable.
2 stars

Monte Rossa
Monte Rossa P.R. Brut (Non Vintage)
A magnum. Pale greenish brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with spice and greenish floral accents supported by wet breadcrumbs and some lemony acidity. On the palate it's fairly rich, with bright citric fruit supported by sparkle and some bitterness that flows into a clean savory finish with bitter underpinning. It's pleasant and versatile -- good for both aperitif and throughout the meal -- but I found it a bit direct, and if you look for more complex wines this isn't quite it.
2 stars

Lo Sparviere
Lo Sparviere Franciacorta Brut 2005
Pale brassy yellow with fine persistent perlage. Elegant, fairly intense bouquet with gunflint and bitterness laced with wet breadcrumbs, On the palate it's full, and rich, and creamy, with bright bitter minerality supported by sparkle and mineral acidity that flow into a clean bitter finish. Quite approachable, and displays a pleasing easy elegance.
88-90

Lo Sparviere Franciacorta Brut Satèn (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. Elegant bouquet with citrus and vegetal accents mingled with some caramel and underlying gunflint that gives depth. On the palate it's full and soft, with a rich creamy feel, and mineral-laced with some sea salt, hints of lemon, and underlying bitter almonds. Quite approachable, and also displays considerable complexity.
90

Lo Sparviere Franciacorta Rosè (Non Vintage)
Elegant onion skin with fine perlage. The bouquet is powerful, with brambly minerality supported by hints of red berry fruit and some gunflint, with underlying wet toast and barest raspberry. Nice balance. On the palate it's full, rich, and deft; it's not bone dry, and this contributes to making it approachable and pleasing, while red fruit and mineral acidity keep it on its toes, flowing into a clean mineral finish with underlying red berries. Quite approachable, in a wide-eyed smiling sort of way, and will drink very well with foods, or in the course of a romantic occasion.
90

Il Mosnel
Il Mosnel Franciacorta Brut (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy white with fine perlage. The bouquet is clean, with fresh minerality and some gunflint as well as sea salt. On the palate it's ample, rich, and fairly bright, with clean savory accents that flow into a fairly bitter finish which isn't quite as dry as I might have expected. It's quite approachable, and a fine base wine.
2 stars

Il Mosnel Franciacorta Rosè Pas Dosèe 2005
Pale onionskin with brownish reflections and fine perlage; quite delicate and a far cry from brash pink. The bouquet is fairly intense, with clean bitter minerality and breadcrumbs mingled with some sea salt and gunflint, with citric acidity as well. On the palate it's bright, with ample savory gunflint and considerable bitterness with some minerality. Beautiful balance, and flows into a clean bright mineral finish that gains creaminess from the sparkle. It combines approachability and depth, and is quite pleasant.
90-91

Il Mosnel Franciacorta EBB Brut 2005
Pale brassy gold with fine perlage. The bouquet is deft, with butterscotch and white blossoms mingled with gunflint acidity and wet toast Nice balance. On the palate it's it's rich and creamy, with bright lemony fruit supported by considerable acidity and clean sparkle that flow into a clean bright citric finish. Quite elegant, and will drink very well with foods or as an aperitif, though (if your guests are wine lovers) it may monopolize the conversation.
91-2

La Ferghettina
La Ferghettina Franciacorta Brut (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with breadcrumbs and some apple -- not much gunflint nor bitterness, and it's rather direct. On the palate it's fairly rich, and though savory is sweet for a brut, with clean bright bitterness and some minerality that flow into a bitter finish. Quite direct, and while this is fine in a vino base, I might have expected a little more complexity. It will in any case work nicely with foods at table.
2 stars

La Ferghettina Franciacorta Satèn 2005
Pale brassy yellow with greenish reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly sweet, with bitter almonds and some minerality, and graceful in a curvy sort of way. On the palate it's ample and soft, with minerality that gains creaminess from the sparkle, and flows into a clean mineral finish with hints of gunflint and some bitter almonds. Quite pleasant and eminently approachable, though not as complex as some. In short, perfect for an occasion in which the wine will contribute, but is not the star.
2 stars

La Ferghettina Franciacorta Extra Brut 2002
Pale greenish brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is deft, with moineral acidity and breadcrums underlain by bitterness and some mnerlaity; nice balance. On the palate it's full, bright, and mineral, with clean fresh mineral acidity and creamy sparkle that flow into a clean bright finish. Displays considerably more depth than the younger wines form the estate.
2 stars

Fratelli Berlucchi
Fratelli Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut 25
Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, and mineral, with sea salt and wet breadcrumbs mingled with mineral acidity. On the palate it's fresh and quite approachable, with a fairly bright creamy feel supported by minerality and sparkle. Softer than some, and fresh; it's approachable in an up-front sort of way -- What you see is what there is, and there's not too much depth, but the overall impression is nice.
2 stars

Fratelli Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut Rosè 2005
Pale salmon with rosyreflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is moderately intense with bitterness and some gunflint supported by more gunflint -- it's like hammer-struck granite. On the palate it's full, and rich, with powerful savory minerality supported by mineral acidity and sparkle, which confers a creamy feel and flows intoa clean fresh savory finish. Quite pleasant, and will drink very well as an aperitif or at table.
90

Fratelli Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut 2005
Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is clean and fresh, with gunflint and brambly minerality supported by wet breadcrumbs and some almond skin, with underlying sea salt as well. Pleasing and complex, and fairly delicate too. On the palate it's ample, and softer than I had expected, with lemony fruit supported by creamy sparkle that flows into a clean lemony finish with underlying bitterness. Pleasant, though a bit more direct than I would have expected from a vintage wine.
2 stars

Barone Pizzini
Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Brut (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy yellow with greenish highlights and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with brambly bitterness and some savory accents mingled with wet breadcrumbs and a fair amount of minerality. Nice balance. On the palate it's ample and fairly rich, with savory minerality supported by bitterness and some greenish citric acidity, while the sparkle confers a pleasant creaminess. Quite nice for a vino base, and will work equally well as an aperitif or at table.
88-90

Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Satèn (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy yellow with greenish highlights and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with greenish citric accents and some sea salt; it's pleasingly complex in a softer key. On the palate it's ample and soft with creamy lemony fruit that has bitter almond accents and flows into a clean bright citric finish. Quite approachable in a fairly soft key, though there is quite enough acidity for the wine to have backbone and direction. A good bet for a romantic occasion.
88-90

Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Bagnadore Brut 2004
Pale greenish brassy gold with greenish reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with greenish vegetal accents and gunflint mingled with wet breadcrumbs and some gunflint, with hints of honeysuckle too. Quite a bit going on. On the palate it's full and deft, with lively lemony mineral-laced fruit supported by creamy sparkle and some bitterness that flows into a clean bitter finish that gains depth and direction from mineral acidity. Quitr elegant, and with a great deal to say.
91-2

Bellavista
Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvèe Brut (Non Vintage)
From a magnum. Pale brassy white with fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, and savory, with sea salt and gunflint. Direct, but it does display nice depth. On the palate it's clean, and fresh, with pleasing minerality and creaminess from sparkle, which flows into a mineral finish with some gunflint and slight pepper from the sparkle. A welcoming wine that will work well with foods, and also be nice as an aperitif.
2 stars

Castelveder
Castelveder Franciacorta Brut 2004
Ple brassy yellow-gold with gold highlights and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with almond skin and lemony accents mingled with some gunflint, and salty wet breadcrumbs. Nice depth. On the palate it's it's full and quite bitter, with a fair amount of alcohol as well, and bitter butterscotch supported by sparkle and gunflint that flow into a fresh bitter finish. It's not quite as tight as a cooler vintage would be, but is pleasant if you like bitterness as opposed to a more acid-driven style. In short, it's more particular than some, but if you like the style you will enjoy it.
88

Castelveder Franciacorta Satèn (Non Vintage)
Pale greenish yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is moderately intense and gives an impression of softness with some bitter almond and hints of breadcrumbs. On the palate it's ample, with bitterness more than acidity and flows into a creamy bitter finish.
2 stars

Cà Del Bosco
Cà Del Bosco Brut Cuvèe Prestige (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy white with fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with wet toast and breadcrumbs supported by gunflint and some minerality. On the palate it's fresh, and fairly full, with pleasant creaminess from the sparkle, minerality, and fairly intense almond bitterness that flows into a clean bitter mineral finish Quite direct, but also quite approachable, and will drink quickly.
2 stars

Cà Del Bosco Franciacorta Dosage Zero 2004
Pale brassy gold with fine perlage. The bouquet is intense, with lemony fruit supported by slightest tea leaf (good tea leaves) and breadcrumbs, with savory accents and hints -- just hints -- gunflint. Graceful. On the palate it's full and quite mineral, with fullness coming from both minerality and sparkle, while the wine gains direction from mineral citric acidity. Quite pleasant, and will be very nice to drink with friends or far from the table.
90-91

Cà Del Bosco Cuvèe Annamaria Clementi Franciacorta Brut 2002
Brassy golden green with fine perlage. Deft bouquet with gunflint and wet breadcrums supported by hints of cedar and slight bramble with deftly integrated bitter minerality. Considerable depth and very pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's rich, with lively acidity (2002 was cold and wet…) that's mineral, with brambles and hints of citrus supported by peppery mineral accents from the sparkle, which continue into a mineral finish. Very nice, and proves that sparkling wines do best in cooler wetter summers that confer greater acidity.
92-3


Contadi Castaldi
Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta Brut Rosè 2005
Pale brassy pink with fine perlage. The bouquet is intense, with sea salt and some gunflint supported by bramble and hints of red fruit. On the palate it's full, savory, and fairly direct, flowing into a clean bitter finish. Up front, and what you see is what there is.
1 star

Cornaleto
Cornaleto Franciacorta Satèn 2003
Pale brassy yellow with golden reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is intense, with greenish vegetal accents mingled with bitter honey and slight minty caramel accents. -- obviously from a hot vintage, but nicely balanced and has quite a bit to say. On the palate it's full, rich and soft, with elegant creaminess supporting clean mint-laced bitterness and some white plum fruit. Nice balance, and has developed very well. It's not as tight as a cool vintage would be, but has much to say and will drink very well.
88-90

Cornaleto Franciacorta Brut Riserva 1999
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with bitter almonds, slightly pickled lemon accents, savory notes, and breadcrumbs -- a lot going on. On the palate it's full and rich, with deft creaminess, butterscotch-laced minerality, and slightly lemony mineral acidity that flows into a clean mineral finish. Commanding, and gives an impression of great distance -- or austerity, if you will -- and is one of those wines one hates to pour out at a tasting. Should you come across a bottle, buy all means enjoy it!
92

Gatti Enrico
Gatti Enrico Franciacorta Satèn 2005
Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is dry, with gunflint minerality and some spice mingled with some breadcrumbs. Not as seductive as some, rather shows more restraint. On the palate it's ample and creamy but aga8in drier, and more about the interplay between savory minerality and creaminess than fruit, and flows into a creamy savory bitter finish. If you like the style you will enjoy it, and it does reflect the cooler, wetter 2005 summer.
2 stars

Gatti Enrico Franciacorta Brut 2004
Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with wet bread crumbs mingled with gunflint and bitter honey, with underlying minerality. Nice depth. On the palate it's fairly rich, with lively mineral-laced bitterness supported by sparkle, which confers peppery creaminess and flows into a clean bitter finish. Pleasant to drink, in a bracing way, and will also drink well with foods.
2 stars

Berlucchi Guido
Berlucchi Guido Franciacorta Brut (Non Vintage)
This is an intentionally young wine; it's brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is young, fresh, and mineral, with wet toast, airy CO2, and some gunflint. On the palate it's bright, fresh, young, and lively, with clean bright lemony fruit supported by sparkle, and flows into a clean bright finish. Pleasant in a young zesty key, and will work well as an aperitif or with foods. A wine to set out and drink -- it's not long on complexity -- and in the proper setting will go quickly.
2 stars

Berlucchi Guido Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Satèn 2004
Pale brassy yellow with greenish reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is a bit unusual, with quite a bit of yeast, wet breadcrumbs, and some spice. On the palate it's ample, soft, and a bit settled, with bitterness and moderate acidity supported by sparkle.
1 star

Bersi Serlini
Bersi Serlini Franciacorta Brut Cuvèe 2004
Pale brassy gold with fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with butterscotch and deft breadcrumbs mingled with hints of bitter almond and some anise -- just a touch that adds depth. On the palate it's ample and delicate with creamy lemon-laced minerality supported by a deft creamy sparkle and by some gunflint that flow into a clean bitter finish. Pleasant in a more delicate, graceful key, and will work well as an aperitif.
2 stars

Bersi Serlini Franciacorta Extra Brut 2002
Brassy yellowwi fine perlage. The bouquet is deft and mature, with slightly picked lemony fruit supported by petroleum and lemony acidity. On the palate it's ample, creamy, and rather bitter, flowing into a clean bitter finish. It promised well on the nose, but I found it more settled on the palate.
2 stars

Cantina Chiara Ziliani
Cantina Chiara Ziliani Franciacorta Brut (Non Vintage)
Brassy lemony yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with considerable minerality supported by bitterness and bitter almonds, with underlying spice and hints of bitter honey. On the palate it's full, with bright mineral-laced bitterness and bitter chinotto fruit supported by creaminess from the sparkle that flows into a clean savory finish with underlying bitterness. Quite lively, and will drink well as an aperitif or with foods. Expect it to go quickly.
2 stars

Cantina Chiara Ziliani Franciacorta Satèn 2005
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is moderately intense and mineral with some greenish accents and hints of bramble and gunflint - it seems underdone somehow. On the palate it's ample, soft and mineral, while there is mineral acidity for direction. It's not as successful as some.
1 star

Castello Bonomi Tenute in Franciacorta
Castello Bonomi Cru Perdu Franciacorta Brut (Non Vintage)
Brassy yellow with fine perlage. Elegant bouquet with brambly vegetal accents mingled with gunflint and some citric acid, and also minerality, sea salt, and wet breadcrumbs. Nice balance. On the palate it's bright, with lemony minerality supported by creamy sparkle that flows into a clean bitter finish. Nice depth, and will drink well with foods or as an aperitif. It will go quickly.
88-90

Castello Bonomi Franciacorta Extra brut 2004
Brassy yellow with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is clean and rich, with fine gunflint and savory notes mingled with lemony acidity, wet breadcrumbs, and hints of sea salt, with underlying bitter almonds. On the palate it's bright, with lively bitter lemony fruit supported by sparkle that confers creaminess, and by savory accents that flow into a clean bitter finish with citric underpinning. Quite pleasant and will work very well as an aperitif or at table; the acidity is delightfully deft.
91-2

Castello Bonomi Franciacorta Satèn (Non Vintage)
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is fresh and lemony with some wet breadcrumbs and underlying gunflint. Pleasant. On the palate it's soft, clean, and fresh, with elegant citrus fruit supported by bitterness that flows into a creamy finish. Quite seductive, and an ideal wine for a romantic occasion.
2 stars