Franciacorta DOCG Brut Cuvée n°7 - Lo Sparviere

Epicurious brothers has selected the most famous of Italian sparkling wines. That is to say the Franciacorta DOCG Brut Cuvée n°7 produced by Azienda Agricola Lo Sparviere. Franciacorta is exclusively produced in the territory bearing the same name in the province of Brescia in Lombardy.

This very high quality sparkling wine is produced according to the traditional or Champagne method (refermentation in the bottle).

Winemaking
Franciacorta is produced 100% with hand-picked and rigorously selected Chardonnay grapes. After cooling the grapes at 4°C for 24 to 36 hours to promote the extraction of aromas, they are delicately pressed. Only 60% of the must resulting from this first pressing is used. Then comes a slow fermentation at 16°C. This one is made to retain the perfumes. Then, the base wine is refined on the lees for 7 months in stainless steel vats to be bottled in May. Finally, Franciacorta is refined on lees in bottles (second fermentation) for 30 months before being disgorged and ready to taste.

It is the last born of Lo Sparviere, from the single Chardonnay grape variety. It thus combines the rigor and minerality of clay-limestone soils with the floral exuberance and softness of morainic soils. It therefore has a fruity and sapid flavor, capable of being immediately appreciated. Annual production of approximately 60,000 bottles, to finish with a minimum aging on yeasts of 30 months.

Dress
Visually, it is characterized by a straw yellow color with golden reflections.

Nose
On the nose, we can find notes of acacia honey, yellow peach, almonds as well as nuances of butter characteristic of Chardonnay.

Stuffy
On the palate, it is sapid, fresh and mineral with a good length while being soft in its structure.

Beading
The result is a sparkling wine with fine and persistent perlage with a dense foam