Berlucchi Franciacorta '61 Brut DOCG

Description The name Franciacorta is used as a designation, like the name “Champagne” for the sparkling wines produced in Franciacorta in the province of Brescia in Lombardy. Similar to champagne, it is made using the traditional method of a secondary fermentation within the bottle.
Crisp, rich, and elegant, fairly lengthy and with lovely depth. It releases generous fragrances of apple and pear, along with notes of tropical fruit and subtle nuances of spice.
Displays an exceptional freshness and zesty acidity, with a velvety texture and fine balance, concluding with appealing notes of citrus.
Vinification The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are hand-picked into 20kg-boxes and are brought to the press house, where they are separated into homogeneous lots according to variety, vineyard, and grape composition characteristics. The whole clusters are then loaded into inclined-plane presses, which exert a slow, progressive, and very delicate pressure which extracts the finest fraction of the juice that is called the free-run must. Specific strains of Saccharomyces bayanus yeast are introduced to preserve the aromatic compounds of the grapes and the clear, fragrant must is divided into four separate quality fractions.

After a chilled gravity-settling for clarity, the fermentation takes place in steel tanks or in oak barrels. Following initial fermentation and of malolactic–the latter just on certain lots–, selected lots of base wines are given further maturation and bâttonage, which adds structure and aromatic complexity. The base wines then rest in steel or oak. After addition of the liqueur de tirage, the bottles are placed in stacks in the historic cellars, where they undergo the secondary fermentation and successive maturation sur lie. The wine rests on the spent yeast for a minimum of 24 months. Following disgorgement (the removal of the yeast sediment) the bottles remain in the cellar a further two months before being released.
Food Matches Serve as an aperitif or a festive wine for a special occasion. Serve with shell fish and freshwater fish, rice and pasta dishes, light meats, salt-water fish, fresh and medium-aged cheeses.
Vaierty 90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero.