Lombard sparkling wine among the hills
Between the southern shore of Lake Iseo and the city of Brescia lies Franciacorta, a gentle landscape of morainic hills covered with vineyards, villages, villas, castles and monasteries. Its name probably comes from the "curtes francae", the communities of monks exempt from taxes in the Middle Ages.
Since the 1960s Franciacorta has become the home of one of the most prestigious Italian sparkling wines, made with the classic method, with secondary fermentation in the bottle like Champagne, mainly from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. In 1995 it was the first Italian sparkling wine to obtain the DOCG, and its producers, from large historic estates to small family wineries, welcome visitors for guided tours of the cellars and tastings. The Strada del Franciacorta, a wine route, links wineries, restaurants and places of interest, including the medieval Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa at Provaglio d'Iseo, the Torbiere del Sebino nature reserve, a peat bog full of birds and water lilies, and the villages of Erbusco, Rodengo Saiano and Adro.
Tip: the Franciacorta Festival in the summer opens the wineries to the public; explore the area by bicycle on the network of signposted routes.
Where it is
More things to see in Lombardy
Where to stay near Erbusco
Tours and activities nearby
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