Franciacorta millesimati by Chiara Ziliani, pleasant surprises

I had heard about the winery of Chiara Ziliani, although, shamefully, I had never tasted her Franciacorta. Finding myself at Vinitaly, what better opportunity to fill this gap? I therefore stopped by the stand and tasted the various Franciacorta produced. I thus had the chance to discover a very high average quality alongside a beautiful drinkability. A surprising experience well worth sharing.

The estate manages 15 hectares of vineyard with a low environmental impact, located in the Franciacorta area. The vineyard sits on a moraine hillside at 240 m above sea level in the municipality of Provaglio d'Iseo, with an exposure ranging from east to southwest. That said, the winery's choices have always been based on the constant pursuit of quality in full respect of nature, always observing the principle of originality and connection with the land of Franciacorta.

To produce wines of a high qualitative level, the vineyard has been planted using an espalier training system with a spacing of two metres between rows and 70 centimetres between vines, achieving a planting density of as many as 7,000 vines per hectare. In this way, the natural competition between plants for the acquisition of resources from the soil, combined with minimal fertilisation, short pruning, thinning and therefore a low yield per vine, allows the estate to obtain grapes of an excellent level – a quality that is then reflected in the wine.

Of the wines tasted at the stand, I have chosen to tell you about the Franciacorta millesimati that impressed me most: namely the Franciacorta Pas dosé 2011 and the Franciacorta Satèn Maria Maddalena Cavalieri Riserva 2007.

Franciacorta Pas dosé 2011 – Chardonnay 65%, Pinot Nero 35%

This wine is characterised by the absence of the liqueur d'expédition, that is, the dosage syrup that is usually added to other types of Franciacorta. The Pas dosé rests for 36 months on its lees before disgorgement.

On the eye it presents a beautiful brilliant straw yellow colour, accompanied by a noble perlage of fine, very numerous and persistent bubbles. Intense and decisive nose expressing lovely citrus fragrances, orange blossom, then fresh-baked bread, saffron, hazelnut, nutmeg and minerality. On the palate it confirms a lively vitality, with a decisive sapidity that, combined with a bracing freshness, proves particularly vertical, also thanks to the near absence of residual sugar. It closes with a long savoury trail on toasted notes and aromatic herbs.

Franciacorta Satèn Maria Maddalena Cavalieri Riserva 2007 – Chardonnay 100%

This Franciacorta is produced with a lower overpressure in the bottle. The liqueur de tirage, in fact, has a lower sugar content together with the yeasts – usually 18 grams/litre – capable of developing only 4.5 atmospheres of overpressure in the bottle, against the six atmospheres of other Franciacorta. Another distinctive feature of this Franciacorta riserva is its extended ageing of no fewer than 60 months on its own lees.

The colour is characterised by being more intense than the pas dosé, a luminous, resplendent straw yellow with golden glints, with very fine, numerous, seemingly endless bubbles. Impressive olfactory range, with aromas of mandarin – even candied – on the attack, then honey, white flowers, orange blossom, and further fruity notes of pineapple, and finally yeast. On the palate it strikes for its creaminess, its great softness, as well as for its gustatory-olfactory coherence. A Franciacorta in full expressive maturity. Infinite persistence on mineral and toasted tones.

I conclude the experience pleasantly surprised and glad to have tasted these great Franciacorta millesimati. Franciacorta that speak of great attentiveness to nature in the vineyard as well as of the necessary production expertise in the winery.