Wines from Lombardy

If the white Annamaria Clementi is the backbone of the house, then the rosé is the colourful counterpart - a counterpart full of independence, depth and almost aristocratic discipline. The Cuvée Rosé 2015 is a sparkling wine that goes far beyond what is commonly understood by rosé sparkling wine. Pinot Nero in its purest form, vinified according to the Méthode Saignée - one of the most demanding techniques that must harmonise fruit, structure and noblesse. The 2015 vintage in Franciacorta was characterised by ripeness, density and remarkable balance. The Pinot Nero grapes come from high-altitude vineyards with limestone-rich subsoil. After a short maceration, only the free-run must is processed, fermented in small French oak barriques and matured on the fine lees for seven months. This is followed by a second fermentation in the bottle - and then patience: over 8 years on the lees before the wine is disgorged as extra brut, with minimal dosage.

"When we taste the Riserva Franco Ziliani, we hear the voice of our father: direct, brooding and rigorous." – paolo Ziliani. Born as a tribute to the 90th birthday of the visionary who, together with Guido Berlucchi, bottled the first 3,000 bottles of Franciacorta Metodo Classico in 1961, changing the fate of an entire region. The 2011 vintage – only the second bottling after its debut in 2008 – this Riserva is now part of the permanent collection. A limited special edition becomes a living legacy. The philosophy behind it: Time perfected. Art is Timeless is the manifesto, and each bottle is indeed a work of art. The hand-crafted brass label transforms it into a collector's item, of which only 4,732 exist.

Where the path ends, this story begins. In 2016, Danilo Drocco made a decision bold enough to commemorate the pioneering work of Carlo Negri. The grandson of the founder, who bottled a Sfursat for the first time in 1956, putting Valtellina on the map of great wine. 60 years later, NINO NEGRI 3000 was born: 3,000 magnum bottles, two iconic wines, an experiment between heaven and earth. The Chiavennasca grapes for this Sforzato were left to dry for 100 days in the cool, clear Alpine air – the traditional method that gives strength and concentration without sacrificing the Alpine freshness. The wine then rested for three years in large oak barrels at Castello Quadrio before the magnums began their journey at the end of 2020: up to the rock-cut mountain cellars of Heaven 3000 in Bormio and Ristoro Carosello 3000 in Livigno. Five years at 3,000 metres, where time slows down – less oxygen, lower temperatures, a maturing process that reveals nuances that remain hidden in the valley.

Seven hectares surrounded by a hostile world. The Vigna Fracia is located where the Alpine valleys meet, where glacial winds ensure temperatures that are below the average for the already cool Valtellina. It is historically the coldest zone in the region – and yet lavender and rosemary grow wild here between the dry stone walls. This contradiction has characterised the wine since 1897, when Nino Negri acquired this parcel: his oldest, his most idiosyncratic. Where the Sforzato Carlo Negri favours concentration through drying, the Vigna Fracia chooses the classic path. No appassimento method, no sultana sweetness – instead a pure red wine vinification that preserves the Nebbiolo's alpine freshness. After fermentation, the wine rests for twelve months in medium-sized oak barrels, followed by two years of bottle ageing in the valley. At the end of 2020, the magnums began their ascent: five years in the rock cellars of Bormio and Livigno at 3,000 metres. Two paths, one goal – altitude as the finishing touch.

After the Second World War, Felice Dal Cero moved from Verona to Lugana di Sirmione on Lake Garda, where he began making wine. His son Pietro subsequently built up Ca’ dei Frati into one of Lombardy’s most prestigious estates – and, in 1969, was one of the co-signatories of the first Lugana DOC Disciplinare, the region’s first Denomination of Controlled Origin. When Pietro died in 2012, he left his children – Igino, Gian Franco and Anna Maria – not only a vineyard – but also a legacy. The siblings acquired further vineyards in Pian di Castagnè, in the eastern part of Valpolicella, near the Luxinum vineyard, on calcareous-marly soils with white and red flake-like rocks – —a terroir with a distinctly mineral character. It marked a return to their father’s roots. They therefore dedicated the wine they produce here to him: Pietro dal Cero – the father, to whom they gave back what he himself could never see again.

"Selva della Tesa" is no ordinary Chardonnay - it is the quiet antithesis to Ca' del Bosco's world of sparkling wines, a solitary vineyard, a monolith of fruit, minerality and ageing potential. Situated in the hilly landscape of Erbusco, the plot - planted with old vines on clay-limestone soils - produces the estate's most concentrated harvestyear after year. 2020, with its moderate course and cool harvest phase, gave the wine clarity and energy. After manual harvesting and the typical washing process, the grapes are gently pressed and filled into small French barriques, where fermentation begins spontaneously. This is followed by eleven months of ageing on the fine lees, with regular bâtonnage. No new wood influence for its own sake, but targeted structural work. This is followed by bottle ageing - long enough to bring out the inner architecture of the wine.

Named after the founder of the estate, Maurizio Zanella Rosso is much more than just a name wine - it is a personal commitment to the idea of modern Italian red wine. Bordeaux grape varieties on Lombardy soil, French vinification techniques and Italian intuition: a cuvée that has been proving since the 1980s that great red wines are not bound by borders. The 2021 vintage is in the tradition of cooler, structured years - with crystal-clear fruit, lively freshness and excellent ageing potential. The blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, from single vineyards with poor, chalky soils and natural yield stress. The grapes are harvest strictly and selectively by hand. After fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the wine matures for around 13 months in small French barriques - around two thirds of which are new. It is then bottled, unfiltered, without fining.

A Grand Cru of Franciacorta – from a single, high-altitude Pinot Nero parcel, selected and vinified with the utmost precision. The 2013 matured on the lees for more than seven years and was disgorged without dosage in order to reveal the pure character of the vineyard. In the glass, it shines in a rich gold colour with copper reflections, interspersed with an ultra-fine, persistent perlage. The nose is deep and multi-faceted: ripe apricot, candied orange peel, rosehip, fine brioche notes, hazelnut and a hint of smoke. Powerful and focussed on the palate, carried by taut, crystal-clear acidity and a silky texture. The fruit remains subtle, while salty minerality and fine toasted notes create great inner tension. The final is long, cool and complex, with hints of dried herbs and citrus zest. A Franciacorta of rare depth and nobility – uncompromising, clear and of impressive longevity. SUPERIORE.DE

There are wines that embody a vision. And then there is this Riserva – named after the man who, in 1977, stood on a hill overlooking Lake Iseo and decided to give Italy a sparkling wine to rival the Grands Crus of Champagne. Vittorio Moretti, a pioneer with an irrepressible spirit, created more than just a winery with Bellavista. He created a philosophy of perfection. The Riserva that bears his name is produced exclusively in exceptional years. It is the quintessence of what Franciacorta has to offer: the best soils, the most beautiful exposures, the oldest vines. Chardonnay and Pinot Nero, blended in almost equal parts, from historic plots more than 30 years old. Vinification takes place in small white oak barrels, followed by a long journey: seven years on the lees, during which the bottles are sealed with cork stoppers – a tribute to the traditional method.