My brother recently came over the pond from sunny California, and we embarked on our own little ‘giro d’italia’ (but involving wine instead of bicycles, far more fun!) Our aim was to head to the unchartered pastures of the north to discover the lesser known wines of Italy, followed by a trip southwards experiencing the more arrogant and famous Tuscan wines to see if they would live up to their reputation.
The views across the vines to the mountains.
Before embarking on our scenic mountain drive to the borders of Austria, we decided to stop off in Franciacorta, Italy’s ‘champagne’ region. Originally a relatively unknown sparkling wine made using the traditional method employed in France’s Champagne, recent years have seen a surge in popularity primarily due to the efforts of the Franciacorta consortium to promote this wine as a brand rather than individual producers all marketing themselves separately. The result is a stylisation of their image, all bottles only need only to state Franciacorta on the label as the name alone indicates immediately the production method, the geographic region and the grapes used (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.)
Situated on the hills near the shores of Lake Iseo, once we arrived in the heart of the area we found ourselves driving down tiny lanes suitable for barely one car. Despite being November the leaves were still on the vines, and they had turned a beautiful yellow with flashes of autumn red at the edges. Heading ever upwards, we finally arrived at our destination which was the ‘Bellavista’ winery, one of the larger and older producers of the area. Moretti, whose trade was originally construction, started the winery mainly for personal interest before expanding into the public domain.
Modern art upon arrival
Over these years he has successfully built an empire, owning numerous hotels as well as producing wine, and the impact upon arrival really is that of a sleek empire. A giant sculptural swing sits outside the front door, the view across to the mountains encapsulates the name of the winery perfectly (‘Bellavista’ meaning beautiful view), and the primary entrance is full of modern art, comfortable lounging chairs, and vast unused space.
Orange…you either love it or hate it!
Throughout our tour of the winery it became evident that design has been a serious interest to the founder, and this has carried through to the modern day as the wine labels were rebranded a few years ago to create a bold orange label on their standout, original bottleshape, cementing themselves very much as a ‘brand’, and a memorable one at that.
After an interesting tour of the winery, learning about their traditional methods and the history of the company, we settled down for a tasting.
All bottles are riddled by hand, it could get boring!
Having paid €20 each I was expecting to taste more than two wines, but alas that is all we got. We started with their highest production wine and thus best seller ‘Alba‘, a delicate and fruity wine with good bubbles and we then moved on to a slightly more complicated wine, a 2011 ‘Satèn‘, still with fresh acidity but a hint of toast on the palate also. Our guide reiterated the importance of not comparing Franciacorta to Champagne as despite using the same methods, they are inherently different wines.
I masked my disappointment well after only seeing two wines!
I myself prefer Franciacorta as it is more delicate, with softer bubbles and it doesn’t have the toasty yeastiness of Champagne which I can find a bit heavy. However, it is all about personal taste, and not comparing them directly allows you to experience Franciacorta independently and discover a beautifully drinkable wine.
Following our tasting, seeing as Lake Iseo was only a 15 minute drive away we decided to head to its shores and see what an out of season Iseo had to offer. Often lakeside towns can be completely shut down over winter, so we were surprised to arrive and find it quite bustling. The town itself was down to earth and casual with a beautiful view over the lake, and I imagine in summer it is a hive of activity, with everyone promenading along the lake’s shores.
You can’t beat a stroll by the lake!
The centre itself is compact but quaint and we discovered a delightful, casual but smart restaurant down a small side street called ‘Osteria C’era una volta‘, and enjoyed a delicious lunch there, accompanied of course by a glass of Franciacorta!
Believe it or not, I was expecting it to be sleepier than this!!
Offering good value for money with a lunch menu for €15, a wide range of fish and meat dishes and a friendly, convivial atmosphere it was definitely a more atmospheric experience than the generic pizzerias on the lake front, and I would definitely recommend it.
Another possibility near the lake if you are looking for an upmarket atmosphere is ‘Cascina Doss’, here you can again find a great set lunch menu, with two courses and coffee coming to only €17. Evening is more on the expensive side with a slightly formal atmosphere, but with a great range of fish it’s worth the visit, booking recommended.
