Franciacorta

Status and name

Franciacorta became a DOC in 1967 and a DOCG in 1995; the text used here was last modified by ministerial decree of 7 May 2024.¹ The name is reserved for wine made by fermentation in the bottle with the lees removed by disgorgement.¹ The terms "metodo classico" and "vino spumante" may not appear on the label, so the name Franciacorta stands for the method and the category at once.^1,2 See traditional method.

Zone

The zone lies in the province of Brescia. It includes 14 municipalities in full and parts of Cologne, Coccaglio, Rovato, Cazzago San Martino and the city of Brescia.¹ Grapes must be harvested by hand.²

Types and grapes

The disciplinare defines three types: Franciacorta, Franciacorta Satèn and Franciacorta Rosé. Millesimato (vintage) and Riserva are sub-categories of each.¹ Grape rules by type:¹

Erbamat is a local variety admitted up to 10% in the current text.¹

Satèn is the softer style: its pressure must stay below 5 atmospheres, the tirage sugar is capped at 20 g/L, and it may only be labelled Brut.¹ See pressure in sparkling wine.

Minimum time on lees

Ageing is counted from tirage to disgorgement (art. 5).¹ See ageing on lees.

Millesimato and Riserva wines must contain at least 85% wine of the stated vintage.²

Dosage

Permitted sugar terms depend on the type (art. 6).¹ See sugar scale.

Yield

The maximum grape yield is 10 t/ha. In favourable years the text allows up to 12 t/ha for vintage reserve wine. The wine yield before tirage may not exceed 65% of the grapes.¹

No official production volume was verified for this page.