DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco209 haFounded 1977Vittorio Moretti family (Terra Moretti Vino)Erbusco
Founded in 1977 by Vittorio Moretti, today led by his daughter Francesca Moretti as winemaker for the Terra Moretti Vino group. 209 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco across the moraine ridge above Erbusco; the cellar produces around 1.7 million bottles a year across 13 labels. Bellavista, Contadi Castaldi and the L'Albereta resort form the core Terra Moretti Franciacorta footprint.
Tasting: Guided visit through the Bellavista cellars at Via Bellavista, vineyard walk on the moraine ridge above the village, and a tasting of Alma Cuvée Brut, Satèn, Pas Operé and Vittorio Moretti Riserva. The L'Albereta hotel restaurant pairs estate wines with the Cabaret menu. Reservation required.
Signature wines: bellavista-alma-cuvee-brut, bellavista-satèn, bellavista-pas-opere, bellavista-riserva-vittorio-moretti, bellavista-meraviglioso
Tip: The Vittorio Moretti Riserva (only released in vintages of exceptional acidity, minimum 84 months on lees) is the bottle to ask for in the library flight.
DOCG FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco515 haFounded 1961Ziliani family (Cristina, Arturo and Paolo Ziliani, children of Franco Ziliani)Corte Franca
Founded in 1961 when Franco Ziliani, then a young oenologist working for the Berlucchi family at Palazzo Lana, made the first Italian bottle-fermented sparkling on the Champagne method.
Tasting: Guided cellar visit through Palazzo Lana Berlucchi, the 16th-century palazzo where Franco Ziliani made the first Italian traditional-method sparkling in 1961. The visit covers the historic cellars and the 1961 vintage room, followed by a flight including '61 Nature, Cuvée Imperiale Brut and Palazzo Lana Riserva.
Signature wines: berlucchi-61-nature, berlucchi-61-rose, berlucchi-cuvee-imperiale-brut, berlucchi-palazzo-lana-riserva, berlucchi-max-rose
Tip: Ask for the '61 Nature in the tasting flight: the cuvée name marks the 1961 founding vintage and is the closest thing the cellar offers to a direct lineage taste.
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.
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.
