Tasted at Vinitaly: Villa

Villa's Alessandro Bianchi was one of the first to believe in the Franciacorta region's potential for making great sparkling wines, and the estate continues to be a leader, both in terms of the quality of the wines, and in terms of promotion -- one of the major problems besetting sparkling wines in Italy is the perception that they are either suited to toasts, if dry, or to desserts, if sweeter. You will also encounter them as aperitifs, but are much less likely to be served one between the beginning and the end of the meal.

A pity, because a good sparkling wine can work wonders with all sorts of dishes, from risotti and pasta dishes through fish and meats, and to draw attention to this fact the Bianchi family has organized several editions of a program called Sparkling Menu, in which they ask chefs of top restaurants throughout Italy (and beyond) to build menus around one of their Franciacorta wines; the participants at the dinners rate the recipes (and the wine-food pairings), and the chefs who did the top-rated recipes in the various categories (antipasti, firsts, seconds and so on) are invited to Monticelli Brusati for a final dinner, at the end of which the most successful dish and pairing receive an award.

It's an excellent idea others should pick up on, and a few years ago I was enthralled by a delicately roasted bird prepared by one of the chefs for the finale -- a pigeon perhaps -- that was superb with bubbly. Wouldn't have thought it, but it was.

This year Roberta and Paolo (Alessandro's daughter and son-in-law) presented a couple of new wines, one of which would have gone perfectly with the above mentioned pigeon.

Villa Franciacorta Satèn 2007
100% Chardonnay, 30 months on the lees. Pale brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections and fine steady perlage. The bouquet is rich, with mineral accents supported by sour lemon and some delicate breadcrumbs. Quite welcoming. On the palate it's smooth and rich, with fairly intense lemony fruit supported by acidity and peppery accents from the sparkle, and by sea salt that flows into a fairly long soft savory finish. Quite pleasant and very approachable; it will work well as an aperitif or with simple fish or white meats, and also with vegetable based risotti. It's a little too soft for fattier risotti along the lines of cheese & truffles.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Brut 2007
This is 85% Chardonnay, 5 % Pinot Bianco and 10% Pinot Nero; it spends 30 months on the lees. It's pale brassy yellow with fine steady perlage. The bouquet is pleasant, with elegant lemony citrus fruit supported by minerality and some breadcrumbs, and by slight gunflint as well. On the palate it's fairly rich, with the sparkle conferring a pleasant peppery fullness, while the wine is fairly rich, with savory sour lemon fruit supported by mineral accents that flow into a clean fresh savory finish. Quite pleasant in an approachable key -- it's a brut but is not tremendously acidic -- and will drink quite nicely as an aperitif, and will also be a nice wine to drink with a meal built around cheese (say an elegant cheesy risotto), fish, or white meats.
88-90

Villa Franciacorta Extra Blu Extra Brut 2006
A new entry, this is 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Nero; some of the base wine spends 3 months in wood, and then it spends 48 months on the lees. The name, Extra Blu, is a reference to the marine origins of the sediments in the vineyard, and in terms of positioning it's mid-way between the Brut and the Pas Dosé. It's pale brassy yellow with fine intense perlage, and has an elegant bouquet with bread crumbs and gunflint supporting savory minerality and some sea salt; there's also slight sour lemon fruit that provides depth. On the palate it's ample, and dry, with bright minerality and gunflint that gains support and airiness from the sparkle, and flows into a clean fresh gunflint laced finish with underlying minerality and sparkle, which continues at length. Quite pleasant, and though one could happily drink it as an aperitif, it will also drink nicely with foods, ranging from elegant first course dishes (white fish-based risotto comes to mind), cheese dishes, and also fish or white meats. It's versatile, and very pleasant to drink.
90-91

Villa Diamant Franciacorta 2005 Pas Dosé
85% Chardonnay 15% Pinot Nero. Some of the base wine ages in wood for 6 months, and then it spends 48 months on the lees. Pale brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections, greenish highlights, and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with gunflint and minerality supported by wet bread crumbs and slight hints of butterscotch and sea salt; it's quite harmonious and pleasant to sniff in a bracing sort of way. On the palate it's full, with some of the fullness coming from the sparkle, and quite bracing, with powerful minerality and mineral acidity that flow into a clean mineral finish. It has zing, of the sort I look for in a quality sparkling wine. It's not as approachable as some of the other wines -- rather it demands one's attention -- but it has a great deal to say, and the cooler wetter weather of the 2005 summer only helps matters by increasing acidity and minerality. It's one of those wines one hates to pour out at a tasting.
92-3

Villa Cuvette Franciacorta Brut 2005
85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir; some spends time in oak, and then it spends 42 months on the lees. Brassy gold with brilliant greenish gold reflections. The bouquet is powerful and rich, with sour lemony fruit supported by considerable gunflint and savory accents, with underlying wet bread crumbs. By comparison with the Pas Dosé it's a little more harmonious, and also has slightly more gunflint. On the palate it's ample, rich, and creamy, with fairly intense bitter gunflint supported by creamy sparkle and bitter mineral acidity that flows into a clean warm rather mineral finish. Very pleasant, with considerable character and harmony, and also extremely approachable; the Pas Dosé is a bit more demanding, whereas this is more welcoming. It's a question of degrees, and which you will prefer will depend upon your taste.
90

Villa Franciacorta Selezione Brut 2004
80 Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Nero, the base then spends 6 months in wood and 60 months on the lees. It's pale brassy gold with greenish highlights and brassy reflections, while the perlage is very fine and persistent. The bouquet is elegant, with savory mineral accents laced with sour lemon acidity and slight wet bread crumbs; great harmony and finesse., and quite pleasant to swish and sniff. On the palate it's, well, the word "good" comes to mind; by comparison with the 2005 wines it's a little less acidic, but displays beautiful gunflint minerality and savory notes supported by creamy sparkle and some bitter accents that flow into a clean fresh finish with underlying savory lemon and gunflint bitterness. Quite deft, and very elegant; it will drink nicely as an aperitif and it will be perfect for roasting or drinking with friends far from the table, or, if you want to be extravagant, you could drink it with crustaceans or even oysters.
92

Note -- this was the last wine of the second day at Vinitaly.

Villa Franciacorta Brut Rosé 2007
They have increased the pinot noir to above 40% and the wine spends 30 months on the lees. Pretty onionskin with brilliant brassy reflections and fine steady perlage. The bouquet is deft, with minerality and slight hints of forest berry fruit supported by gunflint, breadcrumbs, and savory accents. On the palate it's full, with the fullness coming from both sparkle and minerality, and quite refreshing, with bright minerality and acidity that flow into a clean dry finish. Very pleasant, and will drink nicely as an aperitif or with foods, and in terms of pairings I might think of delicate white meats, while a fellow taster liked it with spicy foods. The first wine of the day, and it's an auspicious beginning.
88-90

Villa Franciacorta Demisec
This isn't a vintage wine, because the Disciplinare says no vintages should be applied to sweeter bubbly, a policy one can agree with or not, but that must be followed. The wine is all 2007 however. Pale onionskin with fine insistent perlage. The bouquet is bright and rich, with sweetness mingled with some raspberry fruit and slight savory notes that add depth and freshness. Inviting. On the palate it's full and rich with dusky raspberry fruit supported by minerality and acidity, while the sparkle also confers fullness, and it flows into a clean bright fairly mineral finish. Quite pleasant, and is a wine that will work well with piquant cheeses, or with wild berry fruit and other fresh desserts. It's also a wine one could open on a summer evening while watching the stars come out.
90

Campei Sebino IGT 2010
Tank sample
This is a Chardonnay; it's brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections, and has an elegant bouquet with greenish vegetal accents mingled with heather and slight tart fruit, which is between citrus and slightly towards apple. Refreshing, and there is also underlying minerality. On the palate it's rich, with pleasant mineral laced heather and citrus that is quite smooth and flows into a ling delicate citrus with slightly greenish mineral underpinning. Quite pleasant, and promises very well. With respect to the last vintage, it's a little tighter and not quite as beckoning (the Italian word would be ruffiano, which -- in this context -- would be a girl giving a boy a come-hither look)

Pian della Villa Curtefranca DOC 2008
Brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is deft, with elegant minerality and hints of butterscotch supported by some gunflint and underlying white fruit, which is towards apple. On the palate it's graceful, and quite mineral, with minerality and mineral acidity that are quite harmonious, and flow into a clean mineral finish. Pleasant, in a delicate key, and will drink nicely with fish, and also be a nice aperitif.
2 stars

Villa Curtefranca DOC Rosso 2007
This is the last vintage of Curtefranca Rosso -- they will be shifting to Sabino IGT because changes to the Disciplinare will further limit the amount of Barbera and Nebbiolo the wine can contain, something they don't want to do because on their lands Barbera and Nebbiolo grow well. The bouquet is bright, with rich red berry fruit supported by lively berry fruit acidity and some underbrush. Quite fresh. On the palate it's light, with lively slightly sour cherry fruit supported by tannins that have slight brambly accents and flow into a clean berry fruit finish with deft savory tannic underpinning. Quite pleasant, and quite versatile, from red sauced pasta dishes through simple grilled meats and light stews. You will want a second bottle.
2 stars

Villa Curtefranca DOC Gradoni 2007
Deep cherry ruby with lively cherry rim. The bouquet is rich, with elegant slightly jammy cherry fruit supported by brambly greenish accents and some vegetal notes. Nice depth and balance, and very fresh. On the palate it's medium bodied and quite elegant, with rich red berry fruit, sour cherries in particular, though there are also black currants and hints of blueberry, supported by lively berry fruit acidity supported by very smooth sweet tannins; it's quite graceful and very young. One could drink it now with a steak and be very happy, or -- if one has a case -- keep it for 5-6 years, and then open a bottle a year for a number of years.
90-91

Villa Querqus 2007 Sebino IGT Merlot
Deep ruby with violet in the rim. The bouquet is unmistakably Merlot, with rich cassis supported by some graphite shavings and hints of underbrush, and also some alcohol. On the palate it's deft, and very smooth, with moderately intense cassis fruit supported by tannins so smooth they seem smaller than they are, and by deft mineral acidity that flows into a fairly long deft finish with some graphite shavings and deft fruit that continues at length. Quite pleasant but one-track; it's a Merlot and with respect to the Gradoni lacks the complexity that the other varietals confer. If you like Merlot you will like it very much, but if you are less of a devotee you may find more satisfaction with the Gradoni.
2 stars

For more information on Villa (they have a beautiful agriturismo too) see their site.

Villa In Verticale: Villa Franciacorta Cuvette

The folks at Villa held their first vertical 16 years ago, and it was a thing among friends, to get an idea of how their wines aged. Well enough that they decided to hold another the next year, and with time the gathering of friends morphed into Villa in Verticale, which is an eagerly awaited and quite popular June event.

This year Alessandro Bianchi decided to showcase Cuvette, the wine he introduced in 1986 to celebrate his daughter Roberta's marriage to Paolo Pizzol. At the time the wine was a Sec, in other words several steps up from Brut in the sweetness scale, and as such was groundbreaking for Franciacorta, where most of the wines being made were Brut or drier. But Alessandro wanted a wine that could be drunk during the meal, and since few Italians at the time drank sparkling wines at table, he decided to go with something richer and more approachable than a Brut.

Cuvette is a cru, from grapes grown in a hollow on a hillside vineyard, and is primarily Chardonnay, with about 15% Pinot Nero, The wine is in part briefly barrel aged, and then spends 3-4 years on the lees prior to disgorgement. While its primary composition has remained constant over time, as Italians have become more comfortable with the idea of drinking sparkling wines with foods they have adjusted the liqueur d'expédition, gradually reducing the sugar content, so the wine passed from Sec to Extra Dry, and finally to Brut. As such, we were presented with a moving target as it were, with the 2005 though 2002 vintages Brut, the 2001-1999 vintages Extra Dry, and the 1997, 1994 and 1991 vintages Sec.

All the bottles were production bottles, disgorged 3-4 years after going onto the lees, and as such offered an excellent opportunity to evaluate the longevity of Villa's wines. Which is impressive.


Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Brut 2005
Brassy golden yellow with greenish reflections and highlights. And fine perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with rich slightly greenish gunflint and spice with rich heather and hints of butterscotch and savory notes as well. Beautiful balance. On the palate it's rich, with powerful slightly greenish gunflint minerality supported by creamy sparkle and pleasant underlying savory bitterness and bitter acidity that flow into a clean bitter finish. Quite elegant, and very pleasant to sip; one could drink it as an aperitif, but it will also drink quite well with creamy dishes.
88-90

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Brut 2004
Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections and greenish highlights, and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is intense, with heather and savory accents mingled with slight wet breadcrumbs, and some gunflint as well; as it opens it gains in intensity opens. Beautiful balance and tightly woven, very fine definition. On the palate it's full, rich, and creamy, with elegant minerality and some mineral acidity supported by creamy sparkle and rich mineral acidity, and also some butterscotch bitterness that flows into a long elegant finish with underlying savory notes that add depth and interest. Quite pleasant, and will drink very well with foods, though I might be more tempted to sip it away from the table.
93

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Brut 2003
Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and slight greenish highlights, and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is richer than that of the 04, and this is to be expected given the heat of the 03 summer, with more floral accents (honeysuckle, in particular) and less minerality, and also hints of butterscotch sweetness; there's also white berry fruit and some greenish accents. Nice balance is a slightly more voluptuous key. On the palate it's ample, smooth, and creamy, with rich butterscotch minerality supported by creamy sparkle, and flows into a clean bitter butterscotch laced finish with creamy underpinning from sparkle. It's softer than the 03, with less acidity, and this is again to be expected given the heat. A very fine expression of a difficult vintage, and will drink quite well as an aperitif.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Brut 2002
Pale brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is rich, with considerable savory minerality supported by some wet breadcrumbs, gunflint, and some greenish acidity; it's quick to write but extremely harmonious, and invites sniff after sniff. On the palate it's steely, with rich granitic gunflint-laced minerality that gains creaminess from sparkle and flows into a long mineral finish with some butterscotch and slight sour lemon; it's extremely fresh and bracing and has a long, exciting story to tell. Great regret when the glass is empty.
95

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Extra Dry 2001
Brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is rich, and slightly sweeter than the 2002, but then again it is an extra dry; there's greenish white berry fruit supported by some breadcrumbs and bitter accents with some greenish spice as well, with underlying lemony acidity. Pleasant in a richer key, and requires a mental shifting of gears. On the palate it's ample, with rich sour breadcrumbs laced with butterscotch and some gunflint bitterness and slight bramble, while there is also an underlying sweetness that confers roundness, and supports the sparkle, flowing into a clean rather voluptuous finish with underlying sweetness that's pronounced, but not cloying. Quite elegant, and will work very well as an aperitif, with cheese based antipasti or cheese dishes.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Extra Dry 2000
Brassy gold with brassy reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is rich, though not quite as rich as I had expected; with sweetness and minerality but not as much fruit, laced with savory butterscotch and slight bread crumbs; I found myself wondering if the extreme fry heat of August 2000 had an impact upon the ripening of the grapes. On the palate it's ample, and soft, and creamy, with butter apple and fruit supported by minerality more than acidity, and by creamy sparkle that flows into a clean rather bitter gunflint mineral finish. Pleasant, though a little more settled than the others, and this is due to the heat, which knocked back the acidity some. Quite nice, but it's more of a wine for a wine lover than for the general public; it's not as immediate as the 2001, but has more of a story to tell those who are willing to listen.
92-3

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Extra Dry 1999
Brassy gold with brilliant golden reflections and fine insistent perlage. The bouquet is fairly intense, with slight greenish mineral accents and savory spice, and clean greenish minerality as well. Impressive, with considerable depth, and though it's an extra dry it's not as sweet on the nose as some are. On the palate it's ample, and quite mineral, with some lemony accents and minerality supported by sparkle and mineral sweetness that flow into a clean savory mineral finish with slight bitter underpinning.
88-90

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Sec 1997
Brassy gold with brilliant golden reflections and fine perlage. The bouquet is clearly mature, with savory mentholated accents underlying by a slight pungency that comes with age to some whites, and clean minerality; though it's a Sec it doesn't come across as sweet. By comparison with some of the younger wines it is less approachable, and takes more attention to plumb. On the palate it's ample and sweet, with rich butterscotch laced yellow fleshed fruit (apricot with hints dried peach) supported by sparkle and some savory minerality, and flows into a clean fairly sweet mineral finish with slightly pungent apricot-butterscotch overtones. It's a bit over the top, and this is a characteristic that's actually fairly common in 97 (which was hailed as the vintage of the century at the time) wines; it's very charged, with tremendous concentration, and takes things a little too far.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Sec 1994
Slightly paler brassy gold with greenish highlights and fine perlage it looks fresher than the 97. The bouquet is rich and fairly sweet, with fine floral fruit accents supported by sweetness and some sweet butterscotch, also some candied citrus and some warm milky accents as well. Graceful, and very nice to sniff. On the palate it's ample and sweet, with graceful white fruit that's not at all overripe, and is supported by bright lemony acidity and slight hints of butterscotch, while the sparkle also adds creaminess to the texture, and it all flows into a clean bright finish. The wine is less charged than the 1997, and much more graceful; it has a great deal to say and is, most impressive, one of those wines one enjoys, ignoring all else, and feels considerable sorrow to have finished.
93-4

Villa Franciacorta Cuvette Sec 1991
Brassy gold with brassy reflections and fine perlage. This is from a cooler, wetter vintage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with lemony fruit mingled with sour lemon, gunflint, and savory accents. Quick to write, but pleasant to sniff and one wouldn't guess it is entering adulthood at this point. On the palate it's ample, with rich savory minerality supported by lemony acidity that is quite intense, enough that the sweetness of its being sec really doesn't stand out, and supported by some bitter savory notes as well, and flows into a clean long savory finish with considerable lemony acidity and some gunflint bitterness. A very pleasant, and completely unexpected surprise; it doesn't seem like a sec thanks to its acidity, but has a pleasing fullness to the palate and will drink very well with foods, especially rich grilled fish. Having said this, the 94 is more about finesse, whereas this is a bit coarser and broader shouldered. It's not a wine most people would want to drink far from the table, but does have quite a bit to say and will work well with foods. I would expect it to age well for at least 5 years more.
88-90

More Villa in Verticale

• Villa Franciacorta Satèn
• Villa Franciacorta Selezione Brut

Villa's Site

Villa's Franciacorta, Tasted at Vinitaly

I met Alessandro Bianchi, founder of the Azienda Agricola Villa and one of the first to believe in Franciacorta, a number of years ago, when I was gathering the notes for the itinerary of Franciacorta that appeared in issue number 5 of the paper edition of the Italian Wine Review. It was the last appointment of the day and I was probably late, but he graciously stopped whatever he was doing, took me around, and then we ended up sitting in his office, sharing a bottle of bubbly, and chatting about this and that. It was a wonderful end to the end of a long but productive day.

Since then I have made a point of visiting Villa as often as opportunity allows: His daughter Roberta and her husband Paolo are just as pleasant as he is, they organize delightful events, and their wines are very good. They were mobbed this year at Vintialy, but did find space for me in a corner of their stand.

Villa Franciacorta Brut Satèn 2006
Pale brassy white with fine perlage. The bouquet is deft, with pleasant greenish citric accents mingled with gunflint minerality, wet breadcrumbs, and some savory spice. On the palate it's ample, rich, and fairly soft, thanks also to some sweetness -- it's brut but not bone dry -- with bright slightly greenish white berry fruit supported by creamy sparkle and fairly soft acidity that flows into a clean peppery finish with some hints of breadcrumbs and minerality. A classic Satèn, which will be very nice as a wine to toast with, or to drink with friends when you want a smoother softer but still substantial and complex sparkling wine.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Brut 2006
80% Chardonnay, 10 each pinot bianco and pinot nero. Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections and fine steady perlage. The bouquet is rich, with white berry fruit supported by wet breadcrumbs and slightly greenish minerality, with pleasing gunflint as well. It's a bit richer than the 2005, and more opulent, and this is because the vintage was richer. On the palate it's ample, with pleasant cramy white berry fruit supported by minerality and deft citric mineral acidity that flows into a clean bright citric finish. Quite pleasant, and will drink well as an aperitif or a tutto pasto, with foods at a meal. In fact, I would rather drink it with an elegant fish risotto or grilled or roasted fish -- I'm not a fan of oysters but it would be nice there too.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Rosé Brut 2006
This is 60% chardonnay and 40% Pinot Nero, and is elegant onionskin with paler rim and fine perlage, The bouquet is fresh, with raspberry and white berry fruit laced with breadcrumbs and spice, quite fresh and still very young. On the palate it's bright, with considerable dry minerality supported by mineral acidity and some raspberry citric acidity that flows into a clean fresh finish in which the sparkle, which is creamy at the beginning of the sip, becomes peppery and adds life. Considerable depth and quite pleasant to sip; it will be a pleasant aperitif or a nice option if you want to dine with a sparkling wine. Worth seeking out.
90

Villa Franciacorta Diamant Pas Dosé 2004
This is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Nero, and after a part of the wine spends several months in oak, it all spends 48 months on the lees. Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections and intense perlage. The bouquet is elegant and intense, with wet breadcrumbs mingled with gunflint minerality and slight greenish accents, and pleasing sour lemony acidity. Quite a bit to say. On the palate it's quite nice, with clean lemony fruit that gains definition from slightly pungent gunflint minerality and creaminess from the sparkle, while it all flows into a clean bright sour lemon finish that lasts and lasts. Quite nice, and will be very nice as an aperitif, and also be nice with foods especially creamier dishes, ranging from pasta through fish and white meats. In short versatile, and will drink nicely in many situations. Worth seeking out.
92

Villa Cuvette Franciacorta 2005
Pale brassy yellow with fine perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with wet breadcrumbs mingled with gunflint minerality, delicate sour lemon acidity and sea salt, and though it's quick to write it's also quite pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's rich, with clean minerality supported by gunflint and some bitterness, while the sparkle confers creaminess, and it flows into a clean mineral finish with some breadcrumbs, and peppery accents from the sparkle. Pleasant, and will drink nicely as an aperitif or with foods; it is as are most of Villa's wines, quite versatile.
88-90

Villa Franciacorta Selezione Brut 2004
A prerelaese sample; it spends 5 years on the lees. Pale brassy gold with fine intense perlage. The bouquet is elegant, with greenish minerality supporting breadcrumbs and savory notes, and slight butterscotch as well that adds depth, while the fruit is greenish sour lemon. On the palate it's full and rich, with elegant slightly sour lemon fruit supported by deft minerality and creamy sparkle that has a pleasant savory underpinning, and flows into a clean fresh slightly citric finish. Very pleasant and displays considerable depth, though it's still young -- it was just disgorged and has yet to recover from the insult. By the time it leaves the cellars, in fall 2010, it will have.
90

Villa Franciacorta Selezione Brut 2001
This was disgorged in 2007 and has by now recovered. It's pale brassy yellow with slight greenish reflections and fine intense perlage. The bouquet is quite intense, with powerful slightly greenish gunflint minerality laced with breadcrumbs, though what really emerges is the gunflint, and also intriguing sour lemon acidity; it's quick to write but very harmonious and quite pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's ample and creamy with rich sour lemon fruit supported by mineral citric acidity and some gunflint bitterness, and flows into a clean fresh mineral finish. Quite nice, and has a great deal to say; it will drink nicely as an aperitif, but is a wine I would be more tempted to simply break out and enjoy with friends far from the table, Lots to say.
92-4

Villa Franciacorta Rosé Demisec 2006
Pale salmon with fine perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich, with delicate red berry fruit supported by breadcrumbs, savory accents, and some sweetness. On the palate it's ample, and sweet -- a demisec -- with moderately rich forest berry fruit supported by acidity and creaminess from the sparkle, which flow into a pleasant fairly sweet finish. A nice dessert wine that will drink well with creamy desserts and similar, and will also be something to break out with friends who want to enjoy a sparkle on a summer afternoon.
2 stars

Villa Campèi Chardonnay IGT Sebino 2009
This is a new wine from the Campèi vineyard, and is soft pressed and fermented in steel. They decided to call it an IGT instead of a Curtefranca DOC because the DOC doesn't allow the mention of the varietal on the label. It's pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is rich, with sweet honeydew melon and white berry fruit supported by pleasing vegetal notes and some underlying sweetness. On the palate it's ample and rich, with powerful loquat laced tropical fruit supported by greenish spice from grapes and warm slightly vegetal acidity that flows into a fairly long fruit laced finish. Pleasant in an opulent fruit driven key, and though it is still very young it is quite drinkable; it will be nice as an aperitif with egg or cheese based antipasti, and will also be nice with flavorful, not too fatty fish or white meat dishes. A nice addition to the line.
2 stars

More Villa:
Their Site
A Villa Satén Vertical
A Villa Selezione Brut Vertical

Villa Franciacorta Satèn: A Vertical

Satèn is Franciacorta's reply to Champagne's Crémant, a softer, more seductive sparkling wine initially developed by Cà del Bosco and Bellavista (they allowed all to use the term after the French were given rights to Crémant) to attract those who might be put off by drier sparkling wines such as Brut or Pas Dosé. As such one might expect it to be less interesting than its drier cousins. And in some cases it is.

But not as many as one might think, however, because it quickly became quite popular, and Franciacorta's sharper producers realized it had become one of their most important calling cards, a way to get people to try their wines, and then (hopefully) move up the scale towards their top bubbly. One doesn't stint with a calling card, and when Villa's Alessandro Bianchi decided to introduce his Satèn in 1995, he didn't cut corners in the slightest.

What he did do was favor approachability over complexity and depth, because at the time the Italian taste for sparkling wines was much less sophisticated than it is now. We will get to the 95 presently, because the vertical was for a general audience, and started with the youngest wine:

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 2005
Pale brassy yellow with fine intense persistent perlage. Rich nose, with some breadcrumbs, moist spice, savory accents and minerality. It seems quite soft, and is still developing. On the palate it's rich, with elegant minerality supported by gunflint bitterness and savory accents, with slight pepper from the sparkle, and flows into a clean bright savory finish. Considerable depth and more complex than many Satèns I've tasted; it will be a good aperitif, and offers an excellent introduction to Satèn if you have never tried it. There's a touch more acidity than in some years, because 2005 was a cool summer. Quite graceful.
89-91

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 2004
Pale brassy yellow with fine intense persistent perlage. The bouquet is rich, with deft spice and breadcrumbs laced with clean freshness, tart mineral acidity, and some gunflint. Quite nice, with excellent balance; it's richer than the 05, and this is in part the vintage and in part greater age. On the palate it's fresh with clean bright savory accents and more structure than the 05; it's supported by clean savory acidity and sparkle, whose softness confers the creaminess typical of Satèn and flows into a clean savory finish with some bitter accents. Very pleasant, and will work beautifully as an aperitif or at table. Impressive.
92-93

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 2003
The wine is a richer brassy gold than some, and this is because of the long, hot 2003 summer; there's fine, intense, bubbly perlage. The bouquet is full and fresh, with minerality and hints of sweetness mingled with sea salt, spice, and slight breadcrumbs, with underlying vegetal notes and tart acidity laced with softness. It's richer and riper than the others, again because of the summer, but not excruciatingly ripe. On the palate it's ample, rich, and full, with minerality and gunflint bitterness supported by sparkle and some savory accents; there's less acidity and this makes it softer. Good, but less interesting than this is the vintage at work.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 2002
2003's mirror image, the child of a cold wet summer. Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is intense, with breadcrumbs and minerality mingled with acidity and some greenish gunflint accents. More mature than those preceding it, and also much livelier, with more depth and zest -- a brilliant wine, that also reveals honey and walnut skins. On the palate it's bright, with rich lemony fruit supported by sea salt and bright acidity, with some walnut skin bitterness, and sparkle that confers creaminess. Quite nice, rich, lively, and deft. They say sparkling wines shine in cool vintages because they have more acidity, and this vintage certainly confirms the saying. Beautiful freshness and youth, too.
93-4

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 2001
Brassy gold with brassy reflections and abundant persistent perlage. The bouquet is elegant, and mature, with rich savory breadcrumbs and spice mingled with some walnut rind bitterness -- what is called mallo in Italian -- and some gunflint. Quite a bit going on, and quite elegant. On the palate it's full, rich, and powerful, with savory minerality supported by walnut-laced sour lemon acidity and clean peppery spice, while the sparkle again confers creaminess that flows into a long bitter finish supported by deft acidity. Quite elegant, and has quite a bit to say, with a nice balance between acidity and savory, and has aged very well. It is approachable, but also displays considerable depth, and will work equally well as an aperitif or at table. An impressive wine that is mature, and anything but tired.
90-92

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 2000
Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and fine intense persistent perlage. The bouquet is fairly rich in a softer key -- August 2000 was searingly hot -- with minerality and some gunflint but less acidity; there are also some tertiary aromas, including greenish walnut skin. Nice depth, and elegant albeit in a softer hot summer key. On the palate it's ample and rich, with minerality and savory notes supported by bitterness and sparkle; it's softer, and the heat of the vintage comes through in the relatively lesser acidity, and as a result it comes across as flatter than the others. Quite approachable in any case.
2 stars

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 1999
Pale brassy gold with fine intense persistent perlage. Mature colors; there's more gold to it. The bouquet is rich, with deft breadcrumbs and bitterness supported by chestnut honey and some greenish accents, also walnut rind. Impressive and quite elegant; there aren't many 10-year old Satèns at this level. On the palate it's rich and full, with bright mature lemony fruit supported by walnut skin bitterness and clean fresh creamy sparkle that flow into a pleasant rather bitter finish. It's graceful, deftly balancing minerality and acidity, with a lot to say. Impressive.
92-3

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 1998
Brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is rich, and elegant, with clean spice, minerality, and some savory balsamic notes. Quite harmonious with acidity and minerality plying off each other. On the palate it's full, and rich, and sweeter than the younger vintages, and this is because of a course correction -- the initial vintages of Satèn were intentionally sweeter and softer to appeal to the tastes of Italian wine drinkers of the time -- there's clean bright slightly savory citrus fruit supported by deft acidity that flows into a clean savory finish with some balsamic accents. Graceful, and has a lot to say; it has held up quite well and will continue to age well for years to come. It's more approachable and softer than the younger vintages, with a fine balance between bitterness and acidity.
91-93

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 1996
Pale brassy yellow with brilliant brassy golden reflections and fine persistent perlage. The bouquet is intense, with breadcrumbs and wet bread supported by greenish accents, walnut rind, and some gunflint, with underlying balsamic accents. On the palate it's a bit duskier than the younger vintages, ample, soft, and quite approachable, with a deft balance between sweetness and sparkle; it's a classic and very approachable Satèn, and is what one expects of the wine: while it is pleasant (and better on palate than nose), it's not as interesting as some of the more recent vintages that have a defter acid balance, and this is why Villa's Satèn has evolved. This said, hats off; it is a fine wine that laid the groundwork for the vintages that followed.
88-90

Villa Franciacorta Satèn DOCG 1995
This was their first Satèn, and as such is not quite an experiment, but almost. Brassy gold with fine persistent perlage, and a rich bouquet with minerality and spice, coupled with savory accents. It comes across as rather soft, but is quite elegant, a study of harmony. Quite nice, and I would certainly never have guessed it was 14 years old. On the palate it's full, rich, and savory, with clean bright white fruit supported by savory accents and sweetness, while the sparkle provides creaminess, and the whole is beautifully balanced. A most auspicious launch for a wine, and though some of the other wines were perhaps better, it offers much room for thought. I see, in my notes, the word "superlative."
90-92

Winding down, it was a most impressive tasting, which clearly showed how the wine developed, gaining complexity and depth from vintage to vintage, and following a path that is in some respects more interesting than those traced by other sorts of Franciacorta, for example Brut.

Villa's Franciacorta Selezione Brut: Another Vertical, and a more thorough presentation of Alessandro Bianchi and his winery.

Villa's Site