Comarì del Salem is the entry-tier Brut from Uberti, the family cellar at Erbusco (farming the site since 1793). Named for the Salem quarter where the modern winery building stands.
Tip: Ask for the Sublimis Dosaggio Zero alongside the Comarì for the low-dosage house signature; both bottles share the same base wine.
The '61 Brut from Guido Berlucchi & C. carries the cellar's 1961 founding-vintage name and sits as the entry-tier Chardonnay-led bottle of the appellation's largest house.
Tip: Ask whether the '61 Nature is on the shelf alongside the standard Brut; the Nature is the zero-dosage version at a small premium.
Zèro is the dosage-free entry-tier from Contadi Castaldi, the Terra Moretti house in the renovated former brickyard at Adro. Minimum 24 months on lees, Chardonnay-led blend with Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco.
Tip: The brickyard cellar visit pairs well with a Zèro flight; the contrast to the Soul Riserva (long-lees prestige) shows the house dosage philosophy.
Animante is the entry-tier Brut from Barone Pizzini, the consortium's organic anchor (ICEA-certified organic, in 1997). Chardonnay-led with Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco and Erbamat, minimum 24 months on lees and ICEA-certified organic. The bottle the cellar pours on every tasting flight at Via San Carlo.
Tip: Pair Animante with the Edizione bottling for a back-to-back read on the Erbamat freshness contribution; both bottles use the variety prominently.
QdE Brut is the entry-tier Chardonnay-led bottle from Mosnel, the Barboglio family cellar at Camignone (founded 1836) with one of the appellation's oldest continuous Pinot Bianco plots.
Tip: Pair the QdE with the EBB Erbamat for a side-by-side; Mosnel was one of the trial-planters of Erbamat in the early 2000s and the EBB bottling shows the heritage grape at high percentage.
The standard Brut from Ferghettina, the Roberto Gatti family cellar at Adro with 200 organic-farmed hectares spread across 11 of the appellation's 19 communes.
Tip: If the Milledì Satèn is in stock alongside the standard Brut, taste both side-by-side; the flat-bottomed bottle maximises lees contact and the Satèn shows the contrast in mousse texture.
The Extra Brut from Ricci Curbastro, the Capriolo cellar founded in 1885 and now run by Riccardo Ricci Curbastro with his sons Gualberto and Filippo. 32 organic-farmed hectares at Villa Evelina on the Capriolo slopes.
Tip: Combine the cellar tasting with the on-site Ricci Curbastro Agricultural Museum; the 19th and early 20th-century farming-tool collection is part of the visit.