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Franciacorta: The Cellars
by Mariateresa Montaruli
If you'd like to sample Franciacorta in all its variations, you've only
got to visit some of the local cellars. But not all of the 160 vineyards
in the area produce this particular wine. To avoid disappointment, inquire
at the Consorzio (ph. 030-7760477, fax 303-7760467, via Verdi 53, Erbusco
(Brescia) or drop by the large wine shop Le Cantine di Franciacorta (ph.
030-7751116, via Iseo 56, Erbusco,). They are stocked to the limit with
wines made in Franciacorta and act as a clearing house for information on
the surrounding area. Our journey through Franciacorta passes the Bellavista Cellars (via Bellavista, ph. 030-7760276, Erbusco), Ca' del Bosco (via Case Sparse 11, ph. 030-7760600, Erbusco) and Cavalleri (via Provinciale 96, ph. 030-7760217, Erbusco).
Ancient bubbles... Long ago, the wine growers in this small corner of the world had the courage- and the impudence!- to challenge the Champagne region with their bubbly wine. These tiny bubbles have an ancient history. 1570 saw the publication of a booklet written by the physician Geronimo Conforto on the techniques of natural fermentation in wine-making. Thus, earlier still than the posthumous publication of the the illustrious Dom Perignon's chapter and verse on the "la methode champenoise", Dr. Conforto desribed the "picquant and biting" taste of sparkling wines which he noted, "do not dry the palate". The history of Franciacorta however, is not limited to the history of wine. The name itself dates back to the monastic courts of Medieval abbeys, freed from taxes because of the social utility of their work, which consisted of clearing the countryside, planting and caring for vines. Itinerary |
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