Satèn

Franciacorta DOCG type: white grapes, at most 5 atm, brut only

Satèn is a type of Franciacorta DOCG made from white grapes, Chardonnay with up to 50% Pinot Blanc, at a pressure of at most 5 atm.1 It may be sold only as brut and spends at least 24 months on lees.1

What the rules require

Satèn is one of the types defined in the Franciacorta DOCG disciplinare. Four conditions set it apart:1

  1. Only white grapes: Chardonnay at least 50%, Pinot Blanc (Pinot bianco) up to 50%.
  2. Pressure of at most 5 atm.
  3. Sweetness: brut only.
  4. At least 24 months on lees; 30 months for a Satèn Millesimato and 60 months for a Riserva.

Lower pressure

The pressure cap is the most distinctive rule: the disciplinare limits Satèn to 5 atm.1 See pressure for how pressure is measured, and atm and bar for the units.

Why it sits under sweetness

The term on a Satèn label also fixes its sweetness band: it can only be brut, which in EU law means less than 12 g/L of sugar.1,2 Other Franciacorta types may use other terms, including dosaggio zero.1

Related

Because it is made only from white grapes, a Satèn is a blanc de blancs in the literal sense, though the disciplinare uses its own name. For the method see traditional method; for ageing rules across appellations see legal minimum ageing.

See also

FranciacortaRegionsChardonnayGrapesPinot BlancGrapesCO2 and pressure in the bottleScienceBlanc de blancsStylesMinimum ageing by appellationMethods

Sources

  1. Associazione Italiana Sommelier (reproduction of the official disciplinare). Disciplinare di produzione della DOCG Franciacorta (text as amended by DM 7.05.2024, GU n. 114 of 17.05.2024), reproduced by AIS (2024-05-17)
  2. legislation.gov.uk (copy of EU OJ text). Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Annex III Part A (sugar-content terms for sparkling wines), original version as adopted (2018-10-17)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19