DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Erbamat54 haFounded 1870Silvano Brescianini (general manager and founding partner)ICEAProvaglio d'Iseo
Founded in 1870, Barone Pizzini received ICEA organic certification in 1997. The 54 hectares are divided into 29 parcels across the Provaglio d'Iseo and Passirano hills.
Tasting: Guided visit through the organic-certified cellar at Via San Carlo, with a vineyard walk through the parcels bordering the Torbiere wetland reserve and a flight including Animante, Naturae (zero dosage), Bagnadore Riserva and Edizione Erbamat where available. Reservation required.
Signature wines: barone-pizzini-animante, barone-pizzini-naturae, barone-pizzini-bagnadore-riserva, barone-pizzini-edizione, barone-pizzini-saten
Tip: The Edizione bottling is the consortium-pioneering Erbamat-inclusive Franciacorta; pair it with the Animante for a back-to-back read on the variety's freshness contribution.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Erbamat42 haFounded 1836Barboglio family (Emanuela, Lucia and Giulio Barboglio)ICEAPassirano
Founded in 1836 when the Barboglio family inherited the centuries-old residence with its 16th-century wine cellars. Now in its fifth generation, the estate farms 42 organic-certified hectares across the Passirano and Camignone hills, including some of the appellation's oldest continuous Pinot Bianco plots and one of the original consortium-trial Erbamat parcels.
Tasting: Guided visit through the 16th-century underground cellars at Camignone, vineyard walk through the historic Pinot Bianco and Erbamat plots, and a flight of QdE Brut, Nature, Pas Dosé Riserva and EBB single-vintage Erbamat. Reservation required; English spoken.
Signature wines: mosnel-qde-brut, mosnel-pas-dose, mosnel-saten, mosnel-ebb, mosnel-parosé
Tip: The EBB single-vintage Erbamat bottling is one of the very few examples of the variety bottled at high percentage; book a back-vintage flight to taste it against the QdE.
Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, ErbamatAppointment onlyprovaglio-d-iseo
Franciacorta's organic anchor pours Animante, Naturae Nature and Bagnadore Riserva inside its gravity-flow Provaglio d'Iseo cellar, the first Franciacorta winery certified organic in 1997.
Tasting: Visit to the Provaglio d'Iseo organic cellar (the first Franciacorta producer certified organic, in 1997), tour of the gravity-flow winery and a flight of Animante, Naturae Nature, Edizione and a Bagnadore Riserva pour on the longer program.
Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, ErbamatAppointment onlypassirano
Barboglio family cellar at Camignone since 1836, pouring Pas Dose, Brut, EBB Riserva and Parose Saten alongside an Erbamat trial-plot vineyard walk in the Cluniac wood folds of Passirano.
Tasting: Cellar visit in the 16th-century Barboglio family home at Camignone (founded 1836), with a vineyard walk past the Erbamat trial plot and a flight of Pas Dose, Brut, EBB Riserva and the Parose Saten.
DOCG FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, ErbamatEUR 22 to 28 retail
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.