DOCG FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero12 haFounded 1998Bontempi familyPassirano
Founded in 1998 by the Bontempi family at Gussago on the eastern edge of the appellation. 12 hectares of steep, sun-exposed terraces on calcareous-clay-rocky soils; around 75,000 bottles a year across 8 labels.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the Gussago cellar, vineyard walk on the rocky calcareous slopes and a flight of Brut, Satèn, Rosé and Riserva. Steep south-exposure sites and calcareous-rocky soil define the house style.
Signature wines: le-cantorie-brut, le-cantorie-saten, le-cantorie-rose, le-cantorie-extra-brut, le-cantorie-riserva
Tip: The Gussago position puts Le Cantorie a 10-minute drive from Brescia city centre; pair the cellar visit with a Brescia overnight.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero12 haFounded 1977ORGANIC CERTIFIEDCapriolo
Founded in 1977 at Paratico, near the southern end of Lake Iseo. 12 hectares of organic and integrated viticulture, around 90,000 bottles a year across 5 wine labels plus honey production.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the Paratico cellar near Lake Iseo's southern tip, vineyard walk and a flight of Brut, Satèn, Rosé and a Curtefranca DOC. Organic and integrated viticulture.
Signature wines: bredasole-brut, bredasole-saten, bredasole-rose, bredasole-curtefranca-bianco, bredasole-curtefranca-rosso
Tip: Paratico is on the lake-edge motorway exit; combine with a Lake Iseo ferry to Monte Isola for a half-day itinerary.
DOCG FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero5 haFounded 1998ORGANIC CERTIFIEDCorte Franca
Founded in 1998 at Nigoline Bonomelli in the Corte Franca commune near Lake Iseo. The 5-hectare estate is shaped like a south-facing crescent, hence the dialect name Fiòca (scythe). Around 40,000 bottles a year across 13 labels under organic farming.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the small Corte Franca cellar near Lake Iseo, with a flight of Brut, Satèn, Rosé and Pas Dosé. Organic farming.
Signature wines: la-fioca-brut, la-fioca-saten, la-fioca-rose, la-fioca-pas-dose, la-fioca-extra-brut
Tip: The small annual production means the cellar door is the easiest place to taste current releases; the Nigoline Bonomelli setting works well as a brief stop between Berlucchi and Bellavista.
DOCG FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero12 haFounded 1994ORGANIC CERTIFIEDCologne
Family-run Cologne cellar founded in 1994 on the western Monte Orfano slopes. 12 hectares of organic-farmed vineyards, around 40,000 bottles a year across 7 labels.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the small Cologne cellar on the Monte Orfano slopes, with a flight of Brut, Satèn, Rosé and Riserva. Organic farming throughout.
Signature wines: turra-brut, turra-saten, turra-rose, turra-riserva, turra-pas-dose
Tip: Turra's small production gives the cellar door a personal feel; pair it with Quadra around the corner for a half-day on the Cologne side.
DOCG FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero60 haFounded 1999Muratori family (Fratelli Muratori SS)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDAdro
Tenuta Villa Crespia is the Muratori family's original Franciacorta brand, today produced at the Muratori cellar on Via Valli in Adro. The Villa Crespia line emphasises single-soil-type bottlings across the consortium's six vocational units. Roughly 60 hectares of organic vineyards contribute to the line.
Tasting: Visit shared with Muratori at the Adro gravity-fed cellar; the Villa Crespia line was the Muratori family's original Franciacorta brand and remains available in the tasting flight as a single-soil-type expression of the Chardonnay base.
Signature wines: villa-crespia-brut, villa-crespia-saten, villa-crespia-rose, villa-crespia-millesimato, villa-crespia-pas-dose
Tip: The Villa Crespia line is poured alongside the Muratori reserve range in the cellar's standard visit; ask for the Cisiolo single-soil bottling in particular.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC Curtefranca / IGT SebinoChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere253 haFounded 1968Maurizio ZanellaBiodynamic PracticingICEAErbusco
Founded in 1968 by Maurizio Zanella, who built a single house in a chestnut wood at Erbusco into a 253-hectare traditional-method sparkling cellar.
Tasting: Cellar visit by appointment with the Ca' del Bosco Method walkthrough (grape washing, contactless press, Hall of the Wines, Bocchi sculpture park), then a guided flight of the Cuvée Prestige, Vintage Collection, Annamaria Clementi and a Curtefranca red. Reservation required.
Signature wines: ca-del-bosco-cuvee-prestige, ca-del-bosco-annamaria-clementi, ca-del-bosco-vintage-collection-satèn, ca-del-bosco-vintage-collection-rose, ca-del-bosco-maurizio-zanella
Tip: Book the Annamaria Clementi flight (the prestige cuvée named for Maurizio's mother) to taste 8-plus years on lees side-by-side with the Vintage Collection.
