There is no better way to celebrate the short but intense history of Franciacorta than to uncork a bottle produced right where the famous Lombardy sparkling wine was born. It was 1961. The winemaker was Franco Ziliani and the cellar was that of the famous Guido Berlucchi. The one proposed here is the Brut cuvée of a line dedicated by the historic company of Corte Franca to that very invention. Chardonnay in clear prevalence with a pinch of Pinot Noir, the grapes come from the vineyards of the 19 municipalities of Franciacorta. Soft foam, with a good persistence, thanks to the fine continuous perlage, this sparkling wine has a beautiful straw yellow colour with greenish reflections. The nose is rich and elegant. Notes of white pulp fruits and hints of citrus that are also found on the palate. In the mouth it is fresh, well supported by a pleasant acidity, but also smooth and well balanced. Originally, it was an aperitif but it does not disdain a place on the table. For a territorial pairing, we can pair it with the classic casoncelli, the tasty ravioli stuffed with tradition, or with a dish based on lake fish, such as a risotto with perch or a fillet of char. But wine is versatile and can adapt to a thousand situations. The only limit may be our imagination.
"What if we made a sparkling wine the French way?" You think that’s easy?! And yet in 1955 a young wine expert, Franco Ziliani, put this very question to a country gentleman. That gentleman was Guido Berlucchi, who fortunately decided to follow Ziliani's dream. Giorgio Lanciani joined them in the venture and the three gave life to the Franciacorta that we know today. The challenge, to tell the truth, was not at all easy and it took the three of them 6 years to achieve the first significant results. But in 1961 - note this date - the first three thousand bottles of Pinot di Franciacorta were finally sealed. Uncorked the next year, they turned out great. From then on it would be a crescendo, starting the following year when Ziliani created the first Italian Rosé metodo classico. Today Berlucchi is a brand that certainly needs no introduction. Guido Berlucchi passed away in 2000 but his name is now inextricably linked to that of the most elegant Italian sparkling wine. Today, Franco Ziliani's three sons are at the helm of the company: Cristina, Arturo and Paolo. The size and numbers are those of a large company. But the passion is unchanged and Guido Berlucchi is above all a family business, strongly rooted in its territory.
Lombardy 
