Wines from Lombardy

"Alma" – the soul in its most reduced form. Where the Extra Brut with minimal dosage still builds a gentle bridge, the Non Dosato takes the most consistent path: zero grams of residual sugar, zero compromises. Since 2024, Bellavista has been writing a new chapter with the Alma Assemblage collection, and the number 2 marks the 2022 vintage – interpreted with absolute purism. Francesca Moretti and Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave at Dom Pérignon for twenty-eight years, created this trilogy with a clear vision: Franciacorta not as an imitation of Champagne, but as a world-class terroir in its own right. The Non Dosato is the most uncompromising answer – a wine that hides nothing, embellishes nothing, but reveals the naked truth of the terroir. Alma Non Dosato Assemblage 2 is based on a different balance: 70 per cent Chardonnay, 30 per cent Pinot Nero from thirty selected vineyards, supplemented by reserve wines from earlier vintages. After at least thirty months on the lees, the wine is disgorged without any dosage – the wine is topped up with itself.

"Alma" Rosato – the soul in a delicate pink colour. The third and perhaps most seductive member of the Alma Assemblage trilogy combines elegance with power, delicacy with structure. Bellavista has been writing a new chapter with this collection since 2024, and the Rosé Assemblage 2 from the 2022 vintage shows how contemporary and soulful Franciacorta can be at the same time. Francesca Moretti and Richard Geoffroy, the legendary former Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon, have developed this line with a clear vision: Franciacorta as a world-class terroir in its own right, not as an imitation. The rosé is the most sensual interpretation of this – a wine that combines depth with lightness. Alma Rosé Assemblage 2 combines grapes from 26 vineyards: 60 per cent Chardonnay for finesse and tension, 40 per cent Pinot Nero for structure and that delicate colour that comes from short maceration directly in the press. Around 25 per cent of the wine is matured in oak before reserve wines from the two previous vintages are added. After at least thirty months on the lees, the wine is disgorged with minimal dosage.

The first 1,850 Pinot Noir vines were brought to Italy from Burgundy by Count Vistarino back in 1865. Since then, the vinification of this demanding grape variety has been continuously refined over the generations. Today, the Pinot Noirs from the winegrowing dynasty can even outshine much more expensive Pinot Noirs from Burgundy at international tastings.

This wine is literally on fire. Flammante comes from the Inferno (hell), an area where the fruit of this fiery, warm and full-bodied wine comes from the hardness of the Rhaetian rock. With all the vigour in every sip, it is a wine of extreme grace and elegance that makes you think and marvel. Ruby red colour tending towards garnet. A beguiling bouquet of Mediterranean spices and herbs, then strawberry, wild rose, dried earth and minerals. Complex and full of character on the palate with a beautiful fruit centre and animating freshness that makes you long for the next glass. SUPERIORE.DE

A classic Franciacorta from the Montenisa vineyards around Calino near Brescia, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and a small proportion of Pinot Bianco. Gently fermented in stainless steel tanks and then matured on the fine lees for around 24 months, it gains elegance and aromatic finesse. Pale straw yellow in the glass with a fine, persistent perlage. Fresh citrus fruits, white peaches, fine brioche notes and a hint of roasted almonds on the nose. Lively and harmonious on the palate, with a creamy texture, fine acidity and a subtle mineral freshness that leads to an elegant, balanced final. A versatile sparkling wine from the Antinori family that shows its class from an aperitif to a refined meal. SUPERIORE.DE

Essence Noir is the prestigious top of the Essence line – an Extra Brut made from 100% Pinot Nero, carefully vinified in white using the classic method with perfect dosage. Around 48 months on the lees give it depth, texture and spicy sophistication. On the nose, aromas of yellow citrus fruit, grapefruit, brioche, toasted almond and a hint of dried herbs. On the palate, it is complex and focussed – an ultra-fine perlage carries a dense, yet linear texture. The acidity is precise, the body powerful, yet compact and with terrificinterplay of fruit, flavour and minerality. The long, salty-mineral final is clear and persistent – with a moderate dosage that never overwhelms but leaves an original tension. Essence Noir is a masterpiece of balance. SUPERIORE.DE

The 48th edition of a work that began in 1976 as Franciacorta Pinot and has been continuously refined ever since. Since 2017, each bottling has borne its edition number – a commitment to transparency and the uniqueness of each blend. The current blend combines 88% vintage 2023 with 10% reserve wines from 2022 and 2% from 2021, which gives the wine both freshness and depth. The cuvée is sourced from 240 certified organic vineyards in Franciacorta: 80.5% Chardonnay for elegance and structure, 18% Pinot Nero for body and red fruit flavours, 1.5% Pinot Bianco for aromatic finesse. Each grape passes through the in-house washing and drying system before being gently processed. The base wines mature for seven months in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle with subsequent yeast ageing for 25 months.

The "Ca' Guicciardi" vineyard takes its name from the farmhouse that lies at its centre. The single vineyard is characterised by small, very steep valleys. Impressive rock faces alternate with terraces supported by some of the highest dry stone walls in Valtellina. The special colour of the rock, which tends towards a quartz-like white, considerably enhances the power of the sun and leads to higher temperatures and more light here than in other parts of the valley.

The "Fracia" vineyard has belonged to Nino Negri since it was founded in 1897. It lies at the confluence of several alpine valleys and the vegetation in this area is almost Mediterranean with lavender and rosemary. The result is a wine that is flavoursome and flowery with a characteristic, spicy aroma.

A pure Chardonnay-Franciacorta in the Satèn style from the gently rolling hills near Calino, where calcareous soils and the mild microclimate at the foot of the Alps ensure elegance and freshness. The base wine is fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel before the Blanc de Blancs matures on the fine lees for around 24 months, developing its fine texture and aromatic depth. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with a delicate, continuous perlage. The bouquet opens with white flowers, citrus fruit, green apple and a hint of fresh almonds. Clear and precise on the palate, with harmonious acidity, a fine melt and a mineral nuance that emphasises the elegant, fresh final. A charming, straightforward Franciacorta that will particularly delight lovers of single-varietal Chardonnay sparkling wines. SUPERIORE.DE

Pure Pinot Noir from the calcareous moraines around Calino – vinified using the saignée method and matured on the fine lees for at least 24 months. A delicate onion skin colour with a lively perlage unfolds in the glass. The nose seduces with floral notes and clear fruit: redcurrant, raspberry, red grapefruit and delicate notes of dried blossom and yeast. Dry, precise and fresh on the palate; the fruit typical of the grape variety remains present and is supported by fine acidity. The finish shows fine minerality, juicy berry fruit and a subtle creaminess from the yeast contact. A rosé with a clearly recognisable Pinot Noir personality and an outrageously good blend of sophistication and drinking pleasure. SUPERIORE.DE

Fine Franciacorta brut in light yellow gold with a delicate mousse. Very complex and intense on the nose, characterised by fine ripe yeast notes, brioche, delicately spicy, juicy yellow fruit, some peach and citrus. Complex and powerful on the palate, juicy fruit, with a fresh structure, a seductive, minimal extract sweetness on the finish and fine red berry nuances on the taut final. SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes Guido Berlucchi's fine vintage Franciacorta, which does not require any dosage (zero) and thus perfectly rounds off the top end of the 61 collection. The "61" line stands for the birth year of the first Franciacorta, which was created in 1961 in the centuries-old Berlucchi vineyards. The grapes come from four vineyards between Corte Franca and Provaglio d'Iseo. In its purity, the cuvée perfectly embodies the expression of the terroir and shows the fascination of Chardonnay. Despite its 0 grams of residual sugar, it is rich and full-bodied on the palate. Very big! SUPERIORE.DE

50 years of Grande Annata! The Grande Annata by Mattia Vezzola seduces you with a beautiful blend of ripe apples, pears, candied ginger and subtle nuances of blood oranges. This outstanding Metodo Classico from Lake Garda is both round and perfectly structured as well as vibrant with its bright acidity and salty minerals clearly taking centre stage. A hint of raw almonds and sour apples lingers on the final, along with a subtle hint of lime that literally tickles the cheeks. Every year, Grande Annata brut is a top sparkling wine of great complexity and with a wonderful arc of tension! SUPERIORE.DE

Satèn – the name alone promises what this Franciacorta delivers: silky-soft texture, reduced perlage intensity, pure elegance. Bellavista vinifies this exclusive category exclusively in outstanding years from pure Chardonnay from the higher vineyards that catch the first morning light. The 2020 vintage shows what Vittorio Moretti's vision of perfection means: hand-picked grapes, vinified in small oak barrels, then matured on the lees for at least four years in the bottle – time that you can taste.

Rosé 2020 combines Chardonnay with a proportion of Pinot Nero from carefully selected parcels. Maturation on the lees for at least 30 months gives the Brut its smooth creaminess and delicate perlage. In the glass, it is an elegant old rose colour with a delicate shimmer and a persistent, fine mousse. The aroma reveals nuances of raspberry, pomegranate, pink grapefruit and delicate rose petals, complemented by brioche and an underlying spiciness. Present, juicy and refreshing on the palate, with lively acidity and astonishing depth of fruit. The finish is dry, clear and of restrained, mineral length – a rosé with presence, tension and elegance full of character. SUPERIORE.DE

"This is a project with which I am still celebrating the beginning of my adventure as a winemaker, which is why this Riserva bears my name. Valgella is the region where my exciting journey began, and this wine not only bears my signature, but also pays tribute to the steep slopes from which we have wrested its fruit with its elegant shyness."

50 years of Grande Annata! The eye is greeted by a very fine perlage of unusual persistence with well-distributed strings of pearls that form a dense head. The nose has a beguilingly delicate aroma of white smoke, peach peel and a hint of savoury spice. Elegant and structured on the palate - it initially soothes the senses with its silky perlage, only to immediately tantalise them with a mixture of lively acidity and minerals. The finish is clean and elegant; lively notes of melon, green apple, ginger and crushed oyster shells ensure that this Metodo Classico Rosé brut will be remembered for a long time to come ... SUPERIORE.DE

Pas Operé – "not dosed" in the original sense, when it was still dosed by hand. The name is a play on words, as this Extra Brut is very well dosed, but with such restraint that the terroir shines through unadulterated. For decades, Pas Operé has been Bellavista's flagship, the wine that most clearly bears the signature of the house: classic, masculine, timeless. The 2018 Pas Operé is the result of a rigorous selection of around 25 plots on slopes and hillsides with south or south-east exposure, the vines are over twenty years old. 64 per cent Chardonnay for finesse and structure, 36 per cent Pinot Nero for depth and complexity. Half of the base wines are matured in French white oak barriques, which gives the wine its characteristic intensity. The assemblage is followed by five years on the lees – sixty months, during which flavours intensify, textures refine and perlage refines. Only then, at least six years after the harvest, does the Pas Operé leave the Erbusco winery.

The Cuvée dei Frati is composed of classic Lugana grapes and ten per cent Chardonnay to round it off. After 24 months of ageing on the lees in the bottle, this fine sparkling wine is created with aromas of biscuit, hay and dried tobacco leaves. The moderate carbonic acidity makes it glide over the palate like silk. SUPERIORE.DE

Elegance is the hallmark of the Prestige Cuvée Rosé, which is unfortunately strictly limited each year. The 45th edition consists of 80% Pinot Noir from the 2020 harvest year and 20% Chardonnay in equal parts from the 2019 and 2020 harvest years. Brilliant, bright pink colour. Delicate apricot colour, very light bouquet of peaches, light fruits and sultanas. The persistent flavour is soft and fruity with subtle notes of fresh toast. SUPERIORE.DE