The Prosecco Project: an Italian sparkling wine odyssey
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Arrivederci Franciacorta

9/28/2015

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"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. . . They just drink wine."  Tanya Masse

After two days of endlessly driving through tunnels, hills, and vineyards in search of what sometimes seemed to be phantom wineries, I proposed a break from the wine search.  Instead of wine tasting, we went shopping.  Twenty minutes from the hotel was the Franciacorta Outlet Village.  Upon arrival, I thought I was back in California.  There before me was a shopper's paradise, 160 outlet stores featuring brands like Levis, Benetton, Calvin Klein, Guess, Stefanel, Sisley, Addidas, Sketchers, and so many others.  But it was not the plethora of stores that called to me, it was the architecture.  A beautiful place to spend an afternoon with lunch, and of course, a glass of Franciacorta. 
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The Village
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There was a McDonalds. Jim was fascinated by the McLobster.
Our shopping completed, we returned to the hotel late that afternoon renewed and ready for another special dinner.   Following a brief respite, we entered the hotel restaurant and were seated at a corner table, a perfect spot for Luca.  After perusing the menu, I requested the wine list.  Tonight I was a little trepidatious about the wine selection.  A scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade kept running through my mind.  You remember when the ancient Knight instructs the Nazi seeking the Grail, "Choose wisely"?    I was concerned that again I might choose a wine I did not want to drink, and at the cost of 30 plus euro per bottle, I wanted to like it.  As I scanned the wine list, nothing called to me.  Instead, as I read through the lengthy selection of Franciacorta, I was paralyzed by indecision.  

Finally, I decided to have a discussion with the waiter about my wine preferences and what I did not like about the wine we chose two nights before.  At this point, he recommended a Bellavista Alma Cuvee Brut Franciacorta.  I knew this was from a large, established winery that is often listed among those to visit, so I agreed to try the Bellavista.  As the waiter opened the bottle and poured a taste into the glass, I was anxious.  I watched the happy perlage and admired the beautiful pale straw yellow color.  And I hesitated before I picked the glass up to taste.  Did I choose wisely? 

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I inhaled the scent of  peaches and citrus.  The wine exuded a freshness with no hint of barrique in the nose.  I was enthused as I took the first sip.  And then I smiled and thanked the waiter for a perfect selection.  The Bellavista Alma Cuvee Brut was a beautiful, fresh wine.  On the palate it was delicate with a bright fruitiness, but this feature was well balanced with a good minerality and depth of character.  The wine derives its balance in part from a blending of at least thirty selections and the addition of some aged wine ensuring a consistency in the vintage from year to year.  It is made from 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pino Bianco and Pinot Nero.  For those who trust such things, Robert Parker gave it 91 points and said "I loved it."  And Wine Enthusiast gave it 90 points and liked its "cheerful personality".  

The Bellavista Alma Cuvee Brut is available in the US for a very good price at wine.com.  Here is a link http://www.wine.com/v6/Bellavista-Franciacorta-Alma-Cuvee-Brut/wine/8662/Detail.aspx.  (FYI, I also noticed that wine.com has a Franciacorta from the Montenisa Winery which Jim and I  had tried to visit on a prior day, but the gates were closed.  This winery is owned by Antinori well known for their estate in Tuscany.  We had enjoyed their wine back in April on our trip to Lake Garda.)
 
I was so enthused about the Bellavista Franciacorta that the next morning as we were packing our suitcases in preparation for the journey back to the Marche, I searched the internet to find the location of the Bellavista Winery.  It was sort of on our way to the autostrada.  So, I suggested this little detour to Jim.  He readily agreed, and inserted the location into the GPS.  Now, checked out of the hotel, bags in the car, seat belts fastened, we headed out of the parking lot in search of Bellavista. 

Well, I want to say that we were foiled again by the GPS, but Jim assures me it was human error this time.  Sitting in the back with Luca, I am not really able to judge.  All I know is that we were heading through a tunnel.  Then we went through a second tunnel.  At this point in time Jim realized that the GPS was suggesting we turn around which was virtually impossible on the road with so many tunnels.  Finally we found an exit ramp and took it.  Interestingly, we seemed to be around the same area where we were lost on our arrival to Lake Iseo three days before.  Heading down the narrow and windy road, we finally found a spot wide enough, and with sufficient visibility, to turn around.  Then back up the road we went heading back to the tunnel road.  After a trip through the two tunnels again, we exited and found ourselves in the place where we had started.  So, once again, we traversed the round-about and somehow we were going through the same two tunnels again.  

As we made our way back to where we started (this is now our fourth trip through these same tunnels), I suggested that we forget going to the winery and just follow signs to Brescia where we could pick up the autostrada.  Pursuing this strategy, we quickly saw signs for a town that I knew was very close to the Bellavista.  And, the GPS, still set to take us to there, suggested that we exit.  After a moment's hesitation, Jim took the turn off.  20 minutes later, the GPS indicated that we were very close to the winery.  As we made a right turn from the main road, we found ourselves passing the entrance to Ca Del Bosco.  I was sure this could not be correct, but we continued driving up a narrow road that gave the appearance of going nowhere.  Eventually, Jim saw a sign for Bellavista, and we turned left.  Now, again, it was the lunch hour, so we had little faith that we would actually get to taste wines, but perhaps we could buy some to take home.  As the car finally reached a gate, obviously to a winery, Jim pulled in.  I am asking, "Jim, why are you stopping here?  This is not the winery?" He replied, "I know.  But at least we can stop here and taste some wine."

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The Solive winery
So, this is how we found ourselves at Solive, a winery owned by the Bariselli family who have been farmers in Franciacorta since 1898.  The family started out with a cattle ranch and in 1975 started restoring vineyards on their farms.  The construction of the current Solive winery commenced in 2002, and their Solive Franciacorta collection was launched in 2010.
While Jim gave Luca a little walk, I entered the cantina.  Greeted by a young man, I asked  if we could taste some wine.  His first response was that the winery was closing for lunch, and we could return at 2:30.  I told him we couldn't come back in the afternoon because we were on our way to the autostrada to return to Le Marche.  Just then, Jim and Luca arrived.  When the gentleman saw Luca, he looked again at his watch and decided that we had time for one taste.
 
We were seated at an outdoor table, where he apprised us of the wines being served.  I picked the Solive Pas Dosé, and Jim chose the Rosé because we wanted to try something different than the bruts we had been tasting.  A few minutes later, a platter of wonderful prosciutto and cheese arrived along with two glasses.  After pouring the wine, our host bent down and started fawning over Luca.  For me, this confirmed my earlier suspicion that we were permitted to stay and taste wines because Luca was with us.  He is very often a door opener and a conversation starter.  We were very happy that Luca was so welcome here, and after a false start, we too felt welcome.

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Pas Dose
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Rose
After tasting the pas dosé and rosé, I decided to push the envelope and asked if it would be possible to taste the brut also.  Another glass arrived, followed by a bottle of the brut.  Now, an overwhelming sense of contentment set in, a welcome change to the stress of trying to follow the GPS and the endless loop of tunnels.  I looked out over the vineyards and breathed a sigh of relief as I feasted on the best parmiggiano I have had in years along with exceptional taralli.  And I thought, now this is the way to taste wine.  

Following are my thoughts on the tasting of the three Solive wines.

My favorite was the Solive Franciacorta DOCG Pas Dosé, a wine made without the addition of the liqueur d'expedition.  This wine is made from 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Nero.  It undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle for 30 months.  I was enthused from the moment I saw the wine enter the glass.  Its light straw color and lively perlage called to me as  I drank in the scent of fruits and pastry.  The palate is mature but still fresh with a well balanced acidity.  This wine holds up well with the strong taste of parmiggiano and would do well not only with poultry dishes but veal and pork dishes also. 

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The Franciacorta DOCG Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Nero which undergoes a 24 month second fermentation in the bottle.  In the glass it is a beautiful pastel color combining hues of peach and rose.  The color is achieved by leaving the skin in contact with the must for 12 to 24 hours.  Like the Pas Dose, the Rose has a lively perlage, but here the nose is intense with red fruits and bread crust.  The taste is robust combining the fruitiness and depth of the Pinot Nero with bread crusts, a change after all of the white grape wines we have been tasting.  For me, it was my least favorite of the three wines, probably because I am predominantly a white wine drinker with an occasional taste of rose.  But for Pinot Nero lovers, it is possibly a wine you will love. 
Our final taste was the Solive Franciacorta DOCG Brut, a wine made from 90% chardonnay and 10% Pinot Nero just like the Pas Dosé; however the brut has the addition of the liqueur d'exposition which changes the nature of the wine.  At the cantina, this was a beautiful wine with a light straw color and a persistent perlage.  The nose had a mild scent of bread crust coupled with a residual fruitiness.  But the liqueur d'expedition gave this wine a more structured nature and a more mature character.  The palate was dry and flavorful but not overwhelmed by yeastiness.  ( A post-tasting note is warranted about this wine.  When we opened a bottle of the wine at home a week later, it was a different wine.  The color was more golden yellow and the flavor reminiscent of the scent of new oak barriques.  This was a great disappointment.  I wonder if we just brought home the one odd bottle or if what we tasted in the cantina was not representative of the wine in general.  I guess I will never know, but this is definitely not the first time that I have had a wine in the cantina and when I open it at home it is a totally different wine.)
After purchasing some Pas Dose and Brut, we were on our way.  We still held out the hope that we could find Bellavista, but, today, it apparently was in hiding - at least it hid from us.  So while we never did find the Bellavista Cantina, we did find the autostrada with no problem.  I guess I have to be happy about the little things.  
As we entered the roadway, I was confident that I would return to Lombardy one day and taste more of the sparkling wines in Franciacorta.  But, for now, I bid, Arrivederci, Franciacorta. 

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Discovering Franciacorta - Day 2

9/20/2015

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"Wine gives one ideas whereas Champagne gives one strategies." Roman Payne

After a walk with my dog, Luca, through the beautiful park at I Due Roccoli and a breakfast overlooking the lake, it was off to taste more Franciacorta.  On this our second day of tasting, I wanted to start with the Barone Pizzini winery.  Founded in 1870, Barone Pizzini is one of the oldest wineries in the Franciacorta DOGC area, and it was the first to produce Franciacorta from organically grown grapes.  I first became aware of this winery during a visit to their cantina in Le Marche where we tasted an excellent sparkling verdicchio, also an organic wine. 

After finding the address for the winery on Google, Jim entered it into the GPS, and we were off.  Our experience with GPS in Italy has not been very reliable.  I vividly remember one night several years ago when the GPS suddenly morphed into HAL from 2001 a Space Odyssey.  It was after a beautiful dinner in the hill town of Cingoli in Le Marche, and we were heading back to the little country house we were renting.  Once outside of the Cingoli city limits, the GPS became overbearing, demanding in a sultry female voice, "turn left, turn left, turn left".  I wanted to turn off the obviously demented machine, but Jim kept following until we reached a precipice and were directed to drive off the cliff.  Generally, after this experience, I am our navigator directing each turn with map in hand and an eye on the road signs.  Unfortunately, we had no detailed maps of the area around Lake Iseo, and Jim, being more comfortable in general with technology than I am, wanted to try our new GPS.  After all, this newer model was theoretically, at least, more reliable than the one we had nearly 10 years ago. 
With some trepidation, we headed off to find Barone Pizzini.  We made our way through two of the multitude of tunnels surrounding the lake, and skirted through a few small villages until we arrived at a two lane road through the vineyards.  Amazingly, we actually arrived at the winery with no problem.  And by the time we had parked our Alfa in the winery parking lot, the sun, hidden by clouds for most of the morning, suddenly appeared.
The Barone Pizzini Crest greets you upon arrival
A little bit of history, as you enter the cantina
The winery building is like an iceberg, 2/3 is below ground
Across the road, the vineyards
As we entered the cantina with Luca in tow, we were greeted by one of the employees.  I was prepared to be told that our dog was not welcome in the cantina, but surprisingly, there was not a comment uttered about our furry companion.  (It should be noted, however, that not all wineries in this area are dog friendly.) We were ushered to the bar and asked which wines we wanted to taste.  I, of course, said the sparkling wines.  On this day, they were offering three of their sparkling wines to taste:  Animante which is a Brut, Saten which is a blanc de blanc, and Bagnadore, a Dosage Zero Riserva. 

In the tasting room - photos of the Baron in the background
The Baron, of course
The interior of the large facility
Mementos of days gone by
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The first pour was the Barone Pizzini Animante Franciacorta Brut, crafted from 78% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot nero, and 4% Pinot bianco.  The grapes for this wine come from 25 of the Pizzini organic vineyards in the DOCG area.  This particular brut spends 6 months in stainless steel tanks followed by 20 to 30 months fermenting in the bottle.   As our hostess poured the wine into the glass, I admired the very pale yellow color and the energetic perlage evincing exuberance at being suddenly released from the bottle.  The nose was fresh with citrus and a subtle hint of flowers.  In the mouth there was a good balance of mineralness accompanied by honey and citrus.  Being a huge fan of fresh tasting wines absent the overpowering states of barrique, I truly appreciated this wine and bought a few bottles to serve to friends in Le Marche

Next on our tasting roster was the 2011 Saten Franciacorta, a blanc di blanc, made of 100% Chardonnay.  This is a more refined, longer aged wine spending 6 months in stainless steel with a portion in barrique followed by 30 to 40 months in the bottle.  The perlage of the Saten was more mellow, as is typical of this style of Franciacorta.  The bit of oak aging added more character and a smoothness to the wine while not inhibiting a balanced minerality and notes of citrus.  This is a wine to accompany pastas with white sauces, risotto, fish, and poultry.
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Our final tasting was the Bagnadore Non Dosato Riserva, 2008, a wine made in small quantities and only in select years.  In 2008, Barone Pizzini made only 1,326 cases of the Bagnadore.  This wine, is made from an interesting combination of grapes with 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Nero. It is aged for six months in stainless steel and barrique followed by 60 to 70 months in the bottle on the yeasts.  This is a single vineyard wine which does not incorporate a liqueur d' expedition after the disgorgement.  In the glass, Bagnadore was straw yellow with a refined perlage.  The nose was pastry and ripe stone fruits.  In the mouth, the wine was soft, well rounded, with a complexity of flavor most notably apple, baked bread and a bit of lemon.  I imagine serving this to friends with baked salmon or a white fish, fettuccini alfredo, or even an involtini of chicken. Wine Enthusiast has awarded this wine 93 points. 

We made our purchases, said good bye to the staff and the group of elderly women who had finished a tour and were giving Luca lots of attention, and returned to our car for a second winery visit.  We had put the address for the Montenisa winery into the GPS before leaving the hotel, and now, more confident in the machine, we headed out.  I wanted to visit this winery because I had enjoyed one of their wines in a hotel near Lake Garda back in April.  As we drove the narrow road through vineyards and small villages, we eventually spotted a small sign next to a gate.  Unfortunately, the gate was closed.  As the GPS did not say we were there yet, we continued down the road looking for an entrance.  But we never found another sign or gate to the winery.  I was disappointed as we turned around, but since there are so many wineries around, I was confident we would find another one on our way back toward Iseo. 

By  now, the noon hour was approaching, and I was getting desperate to find another cantina.  Finally, I spotted a beautiful gate up on the hill, and I knew we had found a major winery.  At the next round about (these circles are very convenient for the perpetually lost) we turned around and made the turn leading to Ca del Bosco.  Ca del Bosco is on every list of must visit wineries in Franciacorta.  It had also made it to my list. I had tried to contact them a week before our trip to arrange a time for a tasting, but I never had a response.  So, now, unannounced we took the turn off, entered the imposing gates, drove up the very long driveway, and found ourselves in the parking lot for Ca del Bosco.  Walking around the side of the building, we were greeted by a beautiful, park-like setting replete with rolling grassland, statuary, and wooden bridges spanning a large pond. 
Luca was immediately happy and decided it was time to rest in the grass.  Jim and I were busy taking photos of the impressive cantina and setting.  Finally, we convinced Luca that it was time to enter the building, and he reluctantly followed us through the doors. 
The winery welcomes you
The big giant head overlooks a hillside in the park like grounds
Luca enjoying a spot in the shade
The wooden bridge spanning the pond
Inside the facility, a receptionist greeted us.  When I asked if we could taste the wine, he said that it is only possible to taste the wine if you book a tour in advance - the cost of which is 30 or more euro, and dogs are not allowed on the tour.  So, obviously, this was a problem for us.  He assured us, however, that we were welcome to enjoy the grounds and visit the shop to buy some wine.  Well, needless to say, I immediately equated this encounter with the commercialization of the wine business in Napa California, but this was not the norm in Italy.  Being summarily dismissed, I was obviously beyond frustrated when we exited the Ca del Bosco winery.  But,  I decided to overcome my indignation and taste a bottle of their wine at dinner. 

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That evening, in a little restaurant in Iseo, we ordered the Ca del Bosco Brut Cuvee Prestige.  Ca del Bosco first made this Franciacorta in 2007, and today they make approximately 20,000 bottles per year.  It is a blend of 75% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Bianco, and 15% Pinot Nero.  The wine initially is fermented in stainless steel tanks and an additional  20 to 30% of a reserve wine is added prior to the second fermentation to give the wine a distinctive character.  The second fermentation in the bottle generally  averages 25 months.  As our waitress poured the wine into the glass, I noticed that it was a somewhat richer golden color than most of the Franciacorta we had sampled.  The perlage was fine and energetic.  The scent was of bread crust and almond with a more subtle underlying scent of citrus fruits.  On the palate, the wine was complex with notes of pastry, apple, honey and almond.  I found the wine to be more yeasty than many of the other Franciacorta we had tasted reminiscent of many Champagnes - which is of course what the area is striving for.   Wine Enthusiast has given this wine 90 points and Robert Parker has bestowed 91 points.   For me, the wine was good, but definitely not my favorite Franciacorta of the trip.  Hum, is my opinion colored by my experience at the winery?

For more information about the Barone Pizzini winery, visit their website at http://www.baronepizzini.it/en/

For more information about Ca del Bosco, visit them at http://www.cadelbosco.com/en/

Check back next week for the final day of the Franciacorta Tour: Bellavista and Solive.





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Discovering Franciacorta - Day 1

9/14/2015

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"Wine is like the incarnation: it is both divine and human."  Paul Tillich

Franciacorta?  Today this sparkling wine is not a household name, but it should be.  To cognoscenti  Franciacorta is known as the Champagne of Italy.  Produced in an area around Lake Iseo about one hour from Milan, Franciacorta is a sparkling wine bottle aged in the classic method and made from a combination of grapes most significantly chardonnay usually combined with pinot bianco and maybe pinot nero depending on the style of Franciacorta produced.  Unlike champagne, however, which has a 300 year plus history, the first sparkling wine to be called Franciacorta was produced less than 60 years ago.  Today, the Franciacorta brand is designated DOCG and consists of approximately 5,400 acres of vines with 100 producers.  Compared to the Champagne region of France with approximately 19,000 producers and 80,000 acres of vines, it remains a boutique vintage.  But, it is one of Italy's premier sparkling wines, and any blog claiming to write about the sparkling wines of Italy would be remiss without a discussion of Franciacorta.  With this in mind, I had been planning a visit to the region for several months.  Finally, the day of the trip arrived, and on that Tuesday morning, my husband, Jim, and I commenced the 5 hour drive to Lake Iseo with one goal in mind -- to discover the wines of Franciacorta. 

If weather is an omen, then Bacchus was on our side as we began our journey beneath aquamarine skies dotted with hundreds of cotton candy clouds.  I sat in the back seat of our Alfa with our dog Luca, just watching the heavens roll by and imagining cherubs floating on those clouds just like in the painting by Michelangelo.  This thought triggered my memory of a Mark Twain quote, so apropos on a day like this, "The Creator made Italy from designs by Michelangelo."

The miles passed by as we traversed the A 14 to the A 22 and finally the A4 toward Milan, and everything was going according to plan.  But then we encountered the second tunnel on the outskirts of Iseo.  That is where we missed our exit and ended up high  above the lake in a little village on a narrow, snakelike road with a sheer drop on the right hand side.  After five hours of driving, this was not the place Jim wanted to be, but he cautiously navigated the road through several additional villages down toward the lake.  And, eventually he found the road to our hotel, I Due Roccoli.  The hotel, positioned high up another road characterized by numerous switchbacks, was set in an idyllic spot on nearly 25 acres of land.  And after the drive, Jim and I both wanted nothing more than to sit around and enjoy the park like setting.

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I Due Roccoli, a spectacular setting. Luca loved it.
But we had work to do.  The week prior I had scheduled a tasting at the Luigi Massussi winery.  So after dropping our bags off in our room, and enjoying a complimentary glass of Franciacorta, we once again climbed into the car and set off down the windy road to taste Massussi Franciacorta.

 I had picked the Massussi winery as our first stop not because it is one of the better known wineries in the area, but solely because it was located on the same road as the hotel.  At the outset, I knew that Massussi was a very small producer offering only a brut and a saten, but my goal was to seek out a variety of producers not only the most well known and biggest. 

We arrived at the winery at 5:00 p.m.  just in time for our appointment and were met by Luigi Massussi's mother who informed us that her son was on his way having been detained in the vineyard.   While we waited, we took time to admire the panoramic view of Lake Iseo from high up on the hill where the cantina is located. 
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The view from the front of the Massussi cantina.
Then Mrs. Massussi showed us around to the back of the property to see the olive grove and some of their newly planted vines.  Today, she explained, the winery, which began operation in 1985, produces only about 6,000 bottles of wine per year.  It is the smallest of the Franciacorta consortium wineries, and also the one at the highest elevation at over 1,300 feet.  Massussi is in the process of converting its wine making operation to organic production methods and, over the next few years, will increase production to 20,000 bottles.

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Behind the cantina, the olive grove and new vines.
When Luigi arrived, he conducted the two minute tour of the petit Massussi cellar, and then led us to a small wood paneled room to begin the tasting.
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A corner of the Massussi cellar. There are more tanks than this, but it is small.
As he opened two bottles of Franciacorta, I asked Luigi about his wine making history.  He told me he learned to make wine from his father, and like many of this younger generation of Italian winemakers, his passion for wine and experience in the cellar began at a very young age. 

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Luigi Massussi discussing his wines during our tasting of the brut and saten.
We started the tasting with the Massussi 2010 DOCG Brut Cuvee Del Lago, a wine that has been awarded 90 points by the Varonelli wine guide.  (This is one of the oldest and best known of the wine guides in Italy.)  The 2010 Brut Cuvee Del Lago is a limited edition wine with only 5,000 bottles made, and each bottle is numbered. ( The bottles we brought home are numbered 2,074 and 2095.)  This Massussi Brut is made in the style of Millesimato in which all of the grapes are from the same harvest year.  Franciacorta producers generally use a different, but similar, combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and Pinot Nero in their brut, with Chardonnay always predominant.  At Massussi, the wine is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero.  It has been fermented in the bottle for at least 36 months.  As Luigi poured the wine into the glass, I noticed the pale yellow color, lighter than most champagnes, and the persistent and active perlage.  The nose had subtle hints of bread crusts, vanilla and citrus.  In the mouth, the wine is soft and dry with some mineral highlights, almonds, and citrus.  As I took my third sip of the wine, I looked at Jim with that look that says, "YUM, what a find". 
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Massussi Brut, Cuvee Del Lago 2010
Now it was time to move on to the Massussi Saten. Saten is a term used specifically to describe a blanc de blanc Franciacorta, a wine made with only white wine grapes and no pinot nero.  Quite often, Saten is made using only Chardonnay although up to 15% of Pinot Bianco is permitted.  The Massussi Saten was a younger wine than the Brut with the sboccatura, the disgorgement of the yeast from the bottle, in 2015.   It has spent a minimum of 24 months aging in the bottle.  As the wine slowly flowed into the glass, I noticed that the Saten had a similar color to the brut, very pale yellow.  But the perlage was noticeably less, a typical trait of Saten which is made with 4.5 bars of pressure rather than 6 resulting in a softer and creamier wine.  This wine had a balanced acidity, but was less complex and more fresh than the brut.  It seemed like an excellent summer aperitif or a good wine to accompany a fish dish or a risotto.  Its flavors were subtle of fruits and almonds. 
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Massussi Saten
While in both of the Massussi wines a small percentage of the grapes are aged in French barrique (15% in the brut), this adds to the roundness of the wine and does not overpower the nose or the flavor.  For me, this is a definite plus because after my California days of drinking very oak intense chardonnay, I am not interested in drinking wines that taste and smell of wood rather than the fruit. 

A few minutes later, we were saying good bye to Luigi.  Walking back to our car, I thought back on this tasting experience, and concluded that one day Massussi will be making everyone's list of great wineries in Franciacorta.  I turned to Jim and commented that I felt certain this visit would be one of my favorites since it was all about the family, their dedication to a passion, and a dream of making a superior sparkling wine.  And you can't beat a visit with an enthusiastic Italian Mama.  You can learn more about the Massussi winery on line at massussifranciacorta.it.

Back  at the hotel, we enjoyed a brief respite prior to dinner.  The food at I  Due Rocolli was so exquisitely presented that I just had to include a few photos below.  The only drawback to a beautiful meal was my poor choice of wine.  I selected a Cavalleri Blanc di Blanc.  Unfortunately, for my taste, it had too much barrique, and it tasted like a headache in a glass.  So, I requested a second glass of the house Franciacorta from Conti Ducco.  It was a beautiful wine with a good balance of acidity and it paired well with both the risotto and the Faraona.  
Millefoglie of potato, peach and cured meat
Faraona, a type of chicken
Warm sea bass salad
Home made tagliatele with shrimp, zucchini, and squid ink
Our adventures in Franciacorta were off to a great start.  The next day we headed back out on La Strada del Franciacorta in search of Barone Pizzini and Ca' del Bosco.  Check back next week for day 2 of Discovering Franciacorta.  

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    In Venice with my best friend, Luca

    About Me

    I am an American ex-pat who lived most of a decade in Le Marche, Italy.  A former Italian wine importer, I am an Italian wine enthusiast.  And sparkling wines are my passion.  Back in California, I continue my quest  to discover the wide variety of sparkling wines made in Italy and elsewhere.

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    Luca does Vinitaly - official canine representative, 2015
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    My book, Dog Days in Italy about my humans' 20 year love affair with Italy is available on Amazon.  www.amazon.com/Dog-Days-Italy-Became-Expat/dp/B09JYP2M27

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