Ferghettina, Franciacorta More Than Emerging

Ferghettina can no longer be considered a surprise. We must now speak of an established winery, one of the main reference points of Franciacorta and its prized wines.
The estate was born at the dawn of the 1990s and spans 130 hectares spread across nine municipalities of the denomination, on the sun-drenched hills overlooking Lake Sebino. Gradually the estate grew, developing its quality Franciacorta offering alongside still wines (Curtefranca) that are stylistically very well made.

The new winery extends over a total area of approximately 6,000 square meters. The main areas are those dedicated to receiving the grapes and pressing them. Then we find the must fermentation cellar and the storage warehouse for wines in production, the bottle aging cellar during the prise de mousse and sur lies aging of the Franciacorta. Then the barrique cellar, the bottling rooms where disgorgement takes place, and the finished wine warehouse.

We tasted the Franciacorta range. The grapes are harvested by hand in mid-August and subjected to gentle pneumatic pressing. During vinification, the musts are separated into two categories: only the free-run must, which has the best characteristics and comes from the finest grapes, is used for the production of Franciacorta. The grapes from the different vineyards are vinified separately and this separation is maintained until the spring following the harvest. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature between 16 and 18°C.
In spring, after careful tastings, the different batches of wine are blended into the various cuvées and bottled for the prise de mousse of the Franciacorta.
We tell you about three of them.

Franciacorta Milledì Brut 2008

The Franciacorta Milledì is contained in the distinctive square-based bottle. This is not merely a matter of pure aesthetics, but rather a technical innovation that facilitates and improves yeast activity. The bottle is in fact patented: in Franciacorta, despite the name, they do not limit themselves to imitating France, but seek to go further and do better. After the prise de mousse, the wine rests on the lees for 36 months. A Blanc de blanc (pure Chardonnay), it appears a brilliant straw yellow color with green-gold reflections and presents a fine and persistent perlage. On the palate we perceive elegant citrus and mineral notes with characteristic hints of yeast and bread crust. Very good gustatory-olfactory persistence.

Franciacorta Extra Brut 2007

The Extra-Brut 2007, just disgorged, rests a full 72 months on the lees. Made predominantly with Chardonnay grapes (with 20% Pinot Nero), it presents itself with a brilliant golden yellow color, sparkling thanks to fine, numerous and very persistent bubbles. Very intense and complex aromas of ripe fruit, pineapple, vanilla, saffron, candied fruit and almond on the finish. Excellent gustatory balance between softness, fresh component and effervescence. Long persistence on the palate with retro-nasal returns of exotic fruit and again bitter almond.

Franciacorta Pas Dosè Riserva 33 2006

"Trentatré" indicates that the wine comes one third from the base wine of the Extra-brut, one third from that of the Satèn and one third from the Milledì. Made with pure Chardonnay grapes, this great reserve remains on the lees for at least 80 months, when yeast autolysis allows unique aromatic components to be released into the wine. Brilliant golden yellow in color, it presents a very fine perlage of numerous and persistent bubbles. On the nose it is characterized by extreme elegance with refined notes of ripe and exotic fruit, hints of toasted bread, honey, hazelnuts, vegetal tones and aromatic herbs. On the palate the mineral trail lingers for a very long time, with a clear retro-olfaction of toastiness and again mineral.

We are struck by the excellent craftsmanship demonstrated by these wines. And we leave convinced that the quality of the products tasted and the skill with which they are made are the best omen for the future of this winery. No longer merely emerging.