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.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco200 haFounded 1991Roberto Gatti and family (with daughter Laura and son Matteo)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDAdro
Roberto Gatti founded Ferghettina in 1991 after more than 20 years working in Franciacorta viticulture and winemaking. The estate has grown from 4 hectares to 200 organic-farmed hectares spread across 11 of the appellation's 19 municipalities. The flat-bottomed Milledì bottle is the cellar's design signature, designed to maximise lees contact.
Tasting: Guided visit through the Adro cellar and the signature flat-bottomed Milledì bottle line. Vineyard walk through the organic-farmed parcels across 11 Franciacorta communes, plus a flight of Brut, Satèn, Rosé and the Milledì single-vintage. Reservation required.
Signature wines: ferghettina-brut, ferghettina-saten, ferghettina-milledi, ferghettina-riserva-33, ferghettina-rose
Tip: The Milledì Satèn is one of the appellation's most-poured Satèns by-the-glass at Italian sommelier-driven restaurants; ask for it in the Adro flight.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco70 haFounded 1972Rabotti family (Emanuele Rabotti, son of founders Paolo and Paola Rabotti)Cazzago San Martino
Founded in 1972 by Paolo Rabotti and his wife Paola, today run by their son Emanuele Rabotti. The 70-hectare estate sits on the hill above Bornato; the cellar produces around 500,000 bottles a year.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the hillside cellar above Bornato, vineyard walk and a flight of Prima Cuvée, Cabochon and Riserva Cabochon vintages. The Cabochon Vintage flight is the headline option.
Signature wines: monte-rossa-cabochon, monte-rossa-cabochon-rose, monte-rossa-prima-cuvee-brut, monte-rossa-fuoriserie, monte-rossa-coupe-flaminia
Tip: Cabochon Vintage rewards 5-plus years post-disgorgement; the cellar's library list usually includes a back-vintage flight on request.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco40 haFounded 1979Cavalleri family (Gian Paolo and Giovanni Cavalleri)Biodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDErbusco
Cavalleri is a family-run cellar on Via Provinciale at the centre of Erbusco, founded in the modern bottle-fermented form in 1979. The 40 hectares are farmed biodynamically; the 200,000-bottle annual production runs across 9 labels including the Blanc de Blancs (100 percent Chardonnay) that is the cellar's calling card.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the Erbusco cellar on Via Provinciale, vineyard walk through the family parcels and a flight including the Blanc de Blancs, Pas Dosé, Collezione Esclusiva and Rampaneto single-vineyard.
Signature wines: cavalleri-blanc-de-blancs, cavalleri-pas-dose, cavalleri-collezione-esclusiva, cavalleri-rampaneto, cavalleri-tajardino
Tip: The Blanc de Blancs is the entry point to Cavalleri's Chardonnay-purist style; the Collezione Esclusiva extended-lees flight is the upgrade.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco160 haFounded 1988Terra Moretti Vino (Vittorio Moretti and Mariella Moretti)Adro
Founded in 1988 by Vittorio and Mariella Moretti in a renovated former brickyard at Adro, Contadi Castaldi is the Terra Moretti Vino group's second Franciacorta house alongside Bellavista.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the converted former brickyard at Adro, with a tour of the kilns repurposed as the disgorgement and bottling line, plus a flight of Zèro, Satèn, Rosé and Soul Riserva.
Signature wines: contadi-castaldi-zero, contadi-castaldi-saten, contadi-castaldi-rose, contadi-castaldi-soul-riserva, contadi-castaldi-cuvee-prestige
Tip: The Soul Riserva is the cellar's long-lees prestige cuvée; pair it with the Satèn for a contrast read on the Terra Moretti house style.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco32 haFounded 1885Ricci Curbastro family (Riccardo Ricci Curbastro with sons Gualberto and Filippo)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDCapriolo
Founded in 1885, modernised by Gualberto Ricci Curbastro in 1967 and now run by his grandson Riccardo with sons Gualberto and Filippo. The 32-hectare estate sits at Villa Evelina on the Capriolo slopes.
Tasting: Guided visit at Villa Evelina including the Ricci Curbastro Agricultural Museum (one of the larger private farming-history collections in Lombardy), vineyard walk and a flight of Brut, Satèn, Extra Brut Vintage and Curtefranca Bianco / Rosso.
Signature wines: ricci-curbastro-brut, ricci-curbastro-saten, ricci-curbastro-extra-brut-vintage, ricci-curbastro-curtefranca-bianco, ricci-curbastro-museum-release
Tip: The Agricultural Museum tour pairs well with a flight of Curtefranca Rosso; ask for both in one visit.
