Franciacorta a Tavola

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Franciacorta a Tavola

Across the way from Castelveder Mention sparkling wines and Italy and many will think of either Asti, which is sweet, made from Moscato grapes in Piemonte, or Prosecco, which is dry, made primarily from Prosecco grapes in the Veneto. Or, if they're thinking in terms of red sparklers, Lambrusco.

Not many will think of Franciacorta, and to be frank I hope this changes with time: It's Italy's best sparkling wine, capable of scaling to considerable heights, and is the only Italian sparkling wine that can match Champagne in terms of elegance and complexity. Match, not imitate, and this is an important distinction.

Rheims, the growing area that yields Champagne, is about as far north as grapes can be grown, and they consequently ripen with difficulty; this means that the base wine tends to be fairly acidic, and though this would be a problem if the wine were still, with the addition of bubbles it becomes lively and palate-cleaning. The Franciacorta production area is several hundred miles south of Rheims, just south of Lombardia's Lake Iseo, and as a result there is no problem with grape ripening; because of this Franciacorta tends to be a bit richer than Champagne of the equivalent dryness (Extra Brut, Brut, Satèn, Demi Sec and so on). The other major differences between Franciacorta and Champagne are soil type and grape type. Champagne grapes are grown primarily on chalky soils, whereas most Franciacorta grapes are planted on glacial moraine sediments. Both are infertile, a prerequisite for quality grapes, but they are different, and impart different qualities to the grapes. In terms of composition, Champagne is primarily made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, both red grapes that are pressed and racked immediately to keep their musts from absorbing color from the skins, and Chardonnay, which is white. Franciacorta is instead superbly suited to Chardonnay, so most of the wines are Chardonnay-based, with small amounts of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, or Pinot Noir, which is again racked off the skins immediately. The production techniques followed in Champagne and Franciacorta are the same.

This brings us to what I consider to be the most important difference between Champagne and Franciacorta: Because Franciacorta is as a rule a little richer, and somewhat fuller, it is more versatile at the table, and can be pressed into service with richer dishes that would most likely overwhelm most Champagnes. Modus in rebus, of course; an extra brut Franciacorta isn't necessarily going to work with lamb in a shallot sauce any better than its French counterpart would, but it does have the substance necessary to work with vegetable flans or cured lard. Below are a few more recipes kindly shared by Emanuele Rabotti, winemaker and owner of Monte Rossa, who makes fine wines indeed.

Before the recipes: Franciacorta is a wine. Who else makes it?
The winery that pioneered the production of Franciacorta's sparkling wines is Berlucchi, but they no longer make it because they make so much wine that they have to buy grapes from outside of the production area, and this is not allowed by the rules governing Franciacorta production (Fratelli Berlucchi, who are relatives, do make it). There are another 60-odd producers who bottle the wine; they range from fairly large to positively tiny.

The major producers are:: Bellavista; Ca del Bosco; Contadi Castaldi
Among the smaller producers are:: Barone Pizzini; Castelveder; Cornaleto; Enrico Gatti; Il Mosnel; La Boscaiola; La Ferghettina; Lantieri de Paratico; Lo Sparviero; Monte Rossa; Ricci Curbastro; Uberti; Villa

The listing is alphabetical, not in order of preference. The bigger producers are widely exported and relatively easy to find. Some of the smaller producers, on the other hand, are not exported to the US, and this provides another incentive to visit the region. Tasting notes and an Itinerary will appear in the next issue of the Italian Wine Review. In the meantime:

KINDS OF FRANCIACORTA AND SOME RECIPES

Franciacorta Extra Brut:

Extra Bruts are the driest of sparkling wines and work well as aperitifs. They also do well with delicate foods, in particular fish, crustaceous, and raw shellfish.

Pantacce con Zucchine, Capesante e Gamberetti
Pasta (pantacce) with a delicate zucchini, scallops, and prawns sauce.

Conchiglia di Capesanta Gratinata
Elegant scallops with lobster and salmon.

Franciacorta Brut:

Brut isn't quite as dry as Extra Brut, and this makes it a little more versatile at table; it will work nicely as an aperitif, and will also go well with a wide variety of dishes, ranging from rice or fish-based risotto through delicately stewed chicken or rabbit.

Filetti di Orata Alla Ligure
Sea bass filets on a bed of potatoes, with olives, capers and pine nuts.

Manzo di Rovato all'Olio
Surprisingly refreshing boiled beef in a tasty vegetable sauce.

Suprema di Faraona alla Senape Antica e Mele
Guinea hen with a rich, creamy apple-and-mustard sauce.

Franciacorta Satèn:

Franciacorta Satèn is made exclusively from white grapes, often just Chardonnay, and is slightly less carbonated than the other sparkling wines made in the area. As a result it is softer and less aggressive, and many people find they prefer it to the more powerful wines. It works nicely as an aperitif, and is also quite successful with a range of foods, including baked pasta (mildly seasoned), fish, light stews, and mild cheeses.

Polpetta di carne Fritta
One wouldn't expect fried meatballs to work with a sparkling wine, but Satèn can match them.

Franciacorta Rosé:

Sparkling Rosé wine is generally Brut that is made with a small quantity of Pinot Nero that is allowed to absorb some color from the skins before being racked off, hence the color. By comparison with white sparkling wines Rosé wines tend to be more powerful, and consequently work well with more flavorful dishes.

Petto di Faraona Farcito di Funghi in Rete di Maiale
Breast of guinea fowl stuffed with porcini: Tremendously elegant!

Franciacorta Sec:

Franciacorta Sec is made from the same grapes as Franciacorta Brut, but isn't as dry. It works very well with mild to moderately flavorful creamy cheeses, and will even stand up to sharper cheeses along the lines of Gorgonzola. It's also a good bet with fois gras.

Insalata di Pollo con Mele Renette
Tasty chicken salad with apples: a perfect antipasto.

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Franciacorta a Tavola

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