Before I left for my three-week trip to Italy, I was sent several bottles of Franciacorta (the renowned Italian sparkling wine) to sample to “prime” me for my trip. It was a great re-introduction to the region and its wines and I ended up visiting a couple of the wineries represented below. While the region is quite small (a mere 20 million bottles, while Prosecco produces close to a billion), I feel it should certainly receive more recognition than it does as many of the wines are both outstanding and relatively affordable. 

NV Azienda Agricola Bonfadini Franciacorta Opera Rosé, Franciacorta, Italy: Retail $35. Extremely Heavy Bottle (848g; 29.8oz). 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Nero. While I have had Franciacorta in the past, this is really my first concentrated dive into the region (I am heading there in a few weeks). This rosè (it still unnerves me that the Italians have a different accent on the word). Fruity and nutty on the nose, mostly red berry fruit, with just a hint of a floral aspect. The palate is rich and juicy with plenty of fruit, solid acidity, and plenty of sparkle. While this is far from a world-beater, it is beyond solid and gets me excited, even really excited about my upcoming trip to Lombardy. Excellent. 91 Points.

2021 Berlucchi Guido Franciacorta Brut ’61, Franciacorta, Italy: Retail $65. Extremely Heavy Bottle (847g; 29.8oz). 85% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Nero. Last year, I had a bottle of this, but it was non-vintage and thus I was surprised to see a vintage date on this wine. All the better (although I could not find any info for the 2021 online). Rich, citrusy, and quite yeasty on the nose. In fact, this, the fourth bottle of my Franciacorta “review”, is the most “Ch-like” of those that I have tried. And it is glorious. The palate is tart, layered, and biscuity; just the type of sparkling wine that we adore. So much so that I did a terrible thing: I lied to my wife. When she asked for another glass, I indicated that the bottle was “empty”. It wasn’t. Then she fell asleep. I didn’t. Yes, I will rot in hell, but those last two glasses were fantastic. Outstanding. 95 Points.

NV Corte Fusia Franciacorta Satèn, Franciacorta, Italy: Retail $45. Extremely Heavy Bottle (842g; 29.6oz). 90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Blanco. Satèn roughly translates to “silky” and is applied to Blanc de Blancs from Franciacorta which are slightly lower in pressure than other wines in the region. Generally, the wines are also seen as “softer” and more elegant and this seems to fall into that narrative. Slightly golden in the glass with plenty of tree fruit (ripe pear and peach), a mineral note, a nutty aspect, and oodles of white flower. The palate is quite dry and tart with the vibrant acidity clearly in charge. If I had any criticism of this wine, it might be a bit *too* dry as the fruit is somewhat masked by all of that zing. Still, a gorgeous quaff and a nice re-introduction to the genre. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2005 Le Marchesine Franciacorta Brut Millesimato, Franciacorta, Italy: Retail: I have no idea. Composition: I have no idea. I searched this wine for this wine for a while on the interwebs and came up close to nothing. Actually, it was nothing. No idea about the varieties used, the aging, really anything. But let me tell you: this is wild. I mean that in a very good sense; it is unlike any sparkling wine I have had (and I have had a ton of sparkling wine). At first glance, yellow, even golden in the glass, which suggests some oxidation (not much of a “pop” either upon extraction), and the nose underscores that assumption. The wine has an intense lanolin/sherried note that while unusual (at least for me when it comes to sparkling wines), is also captivating as there is also the glorious baked croissant aspect that one looks for in older sparkling wines. Yum. The palate continues the theme where the lanolin, even exotic fruit nature of the wines combines with the yeasty, oxidized components yielding something truly spectacular. Look, this is not for everyone. In fact, at first taste, I was not sure it was right for me. But as I progressed through the bottle, I realized I was tasting something unique from a region I hopefully will learn more about soon. Yowza. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2019 Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Rosé Millesimato, Franciacorta, Italy: Retail $60. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (909g; 32.0oz). 70% Pinot Nero, 30% Chardonnay. The third wine in my little Franciacorta preview (I plan on being there the first week of June) and this is a producer with whom I have a little bit of familiarity. Nice salmon color in the glass with a fervent sparkle of medium-sized bubbles. The nose has oodles of red berry fruit (mostly cherry with some strawberry) and a subtle but lovely perfumed note. The palate is quite fruity with luscious ripe Bing cherry just bursting out everywhere. The acidity fights its way through all of that fruit on the midpalate, taking control all the way to the above-average finish. Tart and delightful, this really is quite nice. Excellent. 92 Points.