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.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC Curtefranca / IGT SebinoChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco26 haFounded 1793Uberti family (Azienda Agricola Uberti G. & G. A.)Erbusco
The Uberti family has farmed at Erbusco since 1793; the modern winery building in the Salem quarter dates to 1973. The 26-hectare estate produces around 180,000 bottles a year across 12 labels including the Comarì del Salem (named for the surrounding quarter) and the Sublimis Dosaggio Zero. The Quinque Cuvée Essence is the cellar's reserve bottling.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the Salem-quarter cellar at Erbusco, with a tasting of Comarì del Salem, Magnificentia Satèn, Sublimis Dosaggio Zero and a Curtefranca Rosso. English and French spoken.
Signature wines: uberti-comari-del-salem, uberti-magnificentia-saten, uberti-sublimis, uberti-quinque-cuvee-essence, uberti-francesco-i
Tip: The Salem-quarter cellar tour rolls into a walking visit to the surrounding parcels; ask for the Sublimis Dosaggio Zero flight to read the low-dosage house style.
DOCG Franciacorta / DOC CurtefrancaChardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco52 haFounded 1985Biatta family (Loris Biatta with children Andrea and Alice)Passirano
Founded in 1985 by Giovanni Biatta, today run by his son Loris with grandchildren Andrea and Alice. The 52-hectare Passirano estate produces around 550,000 bottles of Franciacorta DOCG a year across 13 labels.
Tasting: Visit by appointment to the modernised Passirano cellar, vineyard walk and a flight of Brut, Satèn, Rosé and Riserva Secolo Novo. English and Spanish spoken.
Signature wines: le-marchesine-brut, le-marchesine-saten, le-marchesine-rose, le-marchesine-secolo-novo, le-marchesine-pas-dose
Tip: Le Marchesine's Satèn is a strong by-the-glass benchmark for the category in Brescia and Milan restaurants; the cellar door flight pairs it with the Pas Dosé.
