Understanding Franciacorta, a tasting with Ca´del Bosco from Franciacorta DOCG, Italy´s answer to Champagne

Jane Nisbet Huseby, owner Oslo Wine School

Franciacorta DOCG, a small high quality wine region in Lombardy, at the southern end of Lake Iseo, only 78 km east of Milan, Italy´s capital city. Franciacorta sparkling wines are exclusively made use the “Metodo classico”, otherwise known as the Traditional method for making sparkling wines, the same method used for Champagne, English Sparkling, Cava and Cap Classique.

Perhaps you haven´t heard of Franciacorta? So let´s take you on a journey....

Franciacorta is known as Italy´s highest quality and most age-worthy sparkling wine. It was established first as a DOC in the 1967 and elevated to DOCG status in 1995. Long before the production of sparkling wines however, as early as 1277, the still wines of then “Franzacurta” cultivated by the monks of the region were widely recognized in the land known as a duty-free trade area “curtes-francae” between Brescia and Lake Iseo. By the 1800s historical references mention the frothy wines traditional to the area, however it was not until 1961, the first-ever bottle of Franciacorta traditional method sparkling wine was produced by oenolgist Franco Ziliani, and hence began Franciacorta´s modern history.

Differences between Champagne and Franciacorta

Grapes: The grape varieties used in Franciacorta are Chardonnay, blended usually with Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Blanco. Native grape white Erbamat has been taken back into use as it ripeness later and offers more acidity, and can be found in blends (max. 10%), however it is not permitted in all styles of Franciacorta to date, and trials are still on-going. Champagne on the other hand uses mainly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier in the production of their wines.

Ageing rules: Just like in Champagne, Franciacorta must have its second fermentation in bottle, however the rules are even stricter in Franciacorta than with some styles of Champagne. Franciacorta wines spend a minimum of 18 months ageing on lees prior to disgorgement, with 30 months for single vintage “millesimato” and minimum 60 months for Reserve, which is far longer than the minimum legal time required for lees ageing for Vintage Champagnes.

Size of production: In terms of total size and volumes produced, Franciacorta is tiny at only 2,800 ha (less than half the total size of Chablis!) and produces 19,5 million bottles/year. Champagne on the other hand covers 34,300 ha of vines producing a staggering 300 million bottles/year.

Pressure in bottles: In Franciacorta, by law the style Satèn is 5 atm (atmospheric pressure) rather than the usual 6 atm in Champagne. This means that Satén is softer and more creamier in style. For the other styles of Franciacorta, the bottle pressure is 5 – 6 atm.

Hand-harvest of grapes in Franciacorta DOCG

Did you know?

Many of the sparkling wines of Franciacorta DOCG are Pas Dosé (no dosage), Extra Brut or Brut (max. 12g/l sugar), however, as in Champagne, they can produce wines with no addition of any dosage up to Demi-Sec (33 – 50 g/l sugar)

Franciacorta also makes still wines, however these use the alternative designation Curtefranca DOC, and can be red or white wines.

Ca´del Bosco - "The house in the woods"

Introducing one of Franciacorta´s leading producers

Ca´del Bosco

Ca´del Bosco´s story begins in 1964, when Annamaria Clementi Zanella, buys a modest house in the forest in the hills of Ebrusco thus "Ca´del bosco". Her son Maurizio was a bit of a rebel, and she thought the tranquil surroundings might be just what he needed. Young Maurizio managed to channel his energies and became inspired by the region. He travelled widely, inspired by the world of wine and visited famous producers in Champagne and Burgundy, returning home with a vision to produce Italy´s highest quality traditional method sparkling wines. The first vineyard of Ca´del Bosco was planted in 1968. Maurizio is known for his passion for making high-quality wine, his cutting-edge high-tech approach to winemaking to ensure precision and quality, and his passion for art. Ca´del Bosco has been farmed organically for many years, yet Maurizio refused to have it certified and labelled on the bottle, preferring for his wines to be known for their high quality by consumers rather than them looking for an organic option.

The “berry-spa”

One particularly interesting aspect of Ca´del Bosco is their commitment to precision and purity. After the grapes are hand-harvested, they are de-stemmed, then enter the “berry-spa”. This is a 3-step process in which the grapes are thoroughly washed with water, then water and citric acid then water again to ensure the grapes are squeaky-clean of any impurities. Thereafter the grapes are gently pressed to extract the free-run juice - the most delicate juice of the press which is the only juice used for the fermentation.

Thereafter the juice is added to stainless steel tanks, and innoculated with selected yeasts to ensure a pure, well-controlled ferment to produce the base wines. Depending on the cuvée some base wines are then aged in French oak for several months prior to blending and second fermentation in bottles.

Depending on the style and quality, the wines will spend between 18 and 60 months ageing on lees prior to disgorgement.

visit Ca´del Bosco website

Tasting notes by Jane Nisbet Huseby.

OBS: Hvorfor er smaksnotatene på engelsk? Jane Nisbet Huseby har engelsk som morsmål og synes at det gir mer forståelse til leseren, av vinens nyanser i detaljer når hun skriver på engelsk enn på norsk slik at dette kan hjelpe leseren videre i sin vinforståelse.

Ca´del Bosco Cuvée Prestige Franciacorta, Extra Brut, 46th Edition

VMP: 5904501 Price: 419,00

Grapes: Chardonnay (79%), Pinot Noir (19%), Pinot Bianco (2%)

25 months lees ageing prior to disgorgement

The 46th edition is a blend of three different vintages – 2021, 2020, 2019.

Tasting note:

Pale gold, aromatic with lemon, biscuit, white peach, flowers, hints of spice and ripe apricots. The fine refreshing acidity balances the pure and attractive citrus-driven fruit, lovely creamy mousse and lengthy finish. Elegant pure and attractive wine. Very good value for money. Wonderful aperitif wine.

Points: 91.5

Ca´del Bosco Vintage Collection Satèn 2019, Extra Brut

VMP: 15151101 Price: 719,00

Grapes: Chardonnay (85%), Pinot Bianco (15%)

The base wines spend 3 –4 months ageing in used French oak prior to blending and the second fermentation. No malolactic conversation to retain acidity. 48 months lees ageing prior to disgorgement. Bottle pressure 5 atm. Extra Brut (2g/l sugar)

Tasting note:

medium gold, aromatic with biscuit, white peach, apricots, hazelnuts, hints of spice and toast. Developing a lovely mushroom aroma. The fine refreshing acidity balances the precise yet attractive creamy fruit. Quite linear style, more umami and smoke flavours coming through on the palate, long finish. Elegant pure yet complex wine. Very interesting. Great dinner party wine, has sufficient structure to work with fish dishes, creamy sauces.

Points: 93.5

Ca´del Bosco Vintage Collection Dosage Zero 2018

VMP: 11124701 Price: 839,00

Grapes: Chardonnay (76%), Pinot Nero (16%), Pinot Bianco (8%)

The base wines spend 5 months ageing in used French oak prior to blending and the second fermentation. No malolactic conversation to retain acidity. 48 months lees ageing prior to disgorgement. Bottle pressure 6 atm.

Tasting note:

Medium gold, more restrained on the nose, with biscuit, white peach, apricots, red fruits – raspberries, hazelnuts, hints of spice. Firm crisp acidic backbone, very structured with redcurrants, wet stones minerality. Linear style with a long finish. Elegant pure mineral-driven wine. Very interesting, perhaps would benefit from further bottle ageing. Great for food pairing such as tuna, lobster, or white meat.

Points: 92.5

Ca´del Bosco Cuvée Annamaria Clementi 2014 Dosage Zero

VMP: 8061201 Price: 1379,00

Grapes: Chardonnay (76%), Pinot Nero (16%), Pinot Bianco (8%)

This is the top cuvée from Ca´del Bosco, named after Maurizio mother Annamaria. The base wines spend 8 months ageing in used French oak prior to blending and the second fermentation. Malolactic conversation on this wine only. 8 years ageing on lees prior to disgorgement. Bottle pressure 6 atm.

Tasting note:

Medium gold, expressive, forest floor, dried fruit, smoke, biscuit, hints of spice. Bright firm acidity, fine structured backbone with redcurrants, liquorice, wet stones. Linear yet structured with a long mineral driven finish. Pure and elegant wine, needs some time in the glass to open up. Very interesting food pairing such as tuna, lobster, Asian dishes

Points: 93

Bli med på et av våre Oslo Wine School WSET vinkurs. Vi tilbyr kurs i Oslo, Tromsø, Bergen og online via Zoom fra hvor som helst i Norge.

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Understanding Franciacorta, a tasting with Ca´del Bosco from Franciacorta DOCG, Italy´s answer to Champagne

Ca´del Bosco - "The house in the woods"

Bli med på et av våre Oslo Wine School WSET vinkurs. Vi tilbyr kurs i Oslo, Tromsø, Bergen og online via Zoom fra hvor som helst i Norge.

OSLO WINE SCHOOL AS