I hadn’t been back to Italy since 2012 and wasn’t quite sure when I would be so when I was invited on a press trip to Franciacorta I was over the moon. The region, which is located right next to the very beautiful Lago d’Iseo (George Clooney first tried to buy there before heading to Lake Como!) and an hour from Milan, is filled with picturesque vineyards, unique foliage and rolling hills.
Click to read more and see a ton more photos from this amazing trip!
I had visited the Champagne region before but really had no idea that there were other areas, such as the Lombardy region where Franciacorta is located, that created their own style of sparkling wine. Here is what sets Franciacorta apart from other bubbly…I found that the way it’s made is special in the sense that it gets its bubbles from the “classic” wine making process, which means that means Franciacorta doesn’t do its secondary fermentation (sitting on yeast and sugar called the tirage) in giant steel tanks like Prosecco or Spumante. Instead, after it ferments in either steel or oak barrels, it then goes through its second round of fermentation in the individual bottle.Because their wines must be aged for a minimum of 18 months, everything is highly regulated to maintain the utmost quality, while some of the finest are aged for up to 60 months or even longer! What I took away from the whole experience of meeting the wine makers and touring their vineyards and wineries is that wine makers in Franciacorta use age-old traditional processes like riddling bottles by hand – can you imagine? And many of the 115 producers in the region use organic farming practices. It’s truly impressive, and for me it brought a whole new level of respect to what they are doing.I took SO many photos that it was hard to narrow them down, but I wanted to share a few of my faves with you guys as well as some of the highlights from our fun-filled, jam packed 72 hours in Franciacorta! In a nutshell…we toured multiple wineries (6 to be exact!), ate the most amazing five course meals in some of the most beautiful settings, took a sunset boat ride across Lake Iseo to a super yummy al fresco dinner, visited a monastery that was at least 1,000 years old, rode horses and learned how to make homemade pasta, breadsticks and cookies!
Where we drank:
La Valle | Villa Franciacorta | Corte Bianca | Cavalleri | Il Mosnel | Gatti Enrico
Where we ate:
Villa Gradoni | Locanda al Lago on Montisola | Villa Calini
Where we stayed:
Where we went:
Monastero di S. Pietro in Lamosa | Le Torbiere del Sebino | Crazy Horse
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Check out more posts by the girls that went with me on this trip!
Exactly Where to Find the Best Pizza and Wine in Milan
7 Superb Sparkling Wine Regions That Aren’t ChampagnePostcards from Franciacorta
The Non-Snob’s Guide to Buying Excellent Wine at an Affordable Price