Pronounced Frahn shah KOR tah. Italy's premier bottle-fermented sparkling wine. Franciacorta is also the region of the production of this sparkling wine, a D.O.C. area located northwest of the city of Bresicia in the eastern part of Italy's Lombardy region. Franciacorta received D.O.C.G. recognition in 1995. The wine is widely accepted as a sparkling wine with consistent quality and class. Franciacorta is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir grape varietals.
When vintage is not identified on a bottle of Franciacorta, the wine is a multi-vintage blend. The base wine must be refermented in the bottle for a minimum of 25 months, during which time at least 18 months there is contact with lees.
A Millesimato is a vintage dated Franciacorta. All blending wines come from the vintages listed on the label. Millesimato is produced only when the harvest is capable of producing high quality wines, therefore, producer size is small. Flavors also differ from year to year. The base wine must be refermented in the bottle for a minimum of 37 months, during which time at least 18 months there is contact with lees.
Characteristics: There are 5 sweetness levels of Franciacorta: Zero Dosage (0 residual sugar), Extra Brut (less than 6 grams per liter residual sugar), Brut (less than 15 grams per liter residual sugar), Sec (between 12 and 20 grams per liter residual sugar), and Demisec (between 17 and 35 grams per liter residual sugar).
Reveals a hint of dried fruits and cloves, Franciacorta is smooth and distinctive.
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