21 Most Historic Wineries In Franciacorta

Sparkling wine enthusiasts should visit Franciacorta, Italy, a region famed for its namesake wine and the storied history behind its many wineries. Sparkling wine has been produced in Franciacorta since the 16th century, though it wasn't until 1961 that the first bottle of Franciacorta was produced. Here's a look at some of the most historic, picturesque wineries in the region, some of which are housed in ancient family villas, others decorated with 15th century frescos.

Guido Berlucchi produced the first Franciacorta in 1961 and is now organic. It's one of the larger wineries but still family-run and owns a historic palace on the property Palazzo Lana, which was built in the 16th century.

Housed in a beautiful villa amongst rolling greenery, this historic winery features a beautiful palace built in 1400, in addition to a grand flight of steps from 1700. Frank Sinatra was even a fan! Playful billiard-inspired toppers can be found on their bottles and include Italian verbs (to love, to fly, etc.), with fans trying to collect all (including the rarest, #8, to win).

This family-run winery in Borgonato is at the forefront of new trends and sustainability. Juxtaposing classic and modern architecture and winemaking with ivy-covered walls inside the winery, great rooms are decorated in 15th-century frescos, while others are framed by deep, profound cross-vaulted ceilings from the 12th century.

The winery was built and already held in high regard in the mid-1800s. Sir Luigi Rossetti, a wealthy merchant from the area, turned a farmhouse (presumably dating back to the 16th century) into his elegant mansion, as well as the headquarters of his wine trade, for which he built the beautiful wine cellars carved out by digging into the rocky hill behind the Villa. After a series of major consolidation, reconstruction and restoration work, the villa and the garden, with its characteristic ridges sloping down the hill, are yet again able to welcome visitors.

Upholding agricultural tradition since the 13th century, the Ricci Curbastro family runs three farm estates. With the recent expansion of the wine cellar, built in 2002, it reaches a size that is 23 times the original one, built in 1946 by Riccardo and Evelina Ricci Curbastro, which still constitutes the heart of the newer wine cellar.

Producing wine since 1793, the winery represents the natural expression of the land, soil and biodiversity in which the vines are rooted over time. Environmental sensitivity has always accompanied the life of the Uberti family, constantly implementing the care and research in cultivation and cellar operations, ensuring the expressive transparency that distinguishes their Franciacorta, the authentic expression of their vines. Uberti is organic-certified and the care of vines is a fundamental value for them.

Cavalleri bought the first vineyards in Franciacorta in 1842, a morainic terrain made of sand and pebbles and an ideal microclimate: temperate in the winter and windy in the summer. Made with extreme care and dedication, the wines are created 24-30 months prior (some of their collections age for as long as 120 months) and each bottle is riddled by hand, giving it an artisanal touch.

One of the larger wineries but still family-run, Bellavista was founded in 1977 and lies atop Bellavista Hill. The winery uses traditional presses to ensure softer pressing of the grapes and a unique separation of the must. The grapes are handpicked from their vineyards, pressed gently and prepared in hundreds of small white oak pieces for the fermentation process.

An organic and sustainably-focused winery owned by Marina Tonsi, an architect and interior designer who brings her passion and eye for design to Franciacorta, the vineyards are nestled in the heart of Franciacorta between the hills and the lake, and the winery was renovated from a traditional Lombardy farmhouse with the most advanced green architecture.

The center of the wine estate, which stretches across various pieces of land, lies in a 16th-century farmhouse located in front of the historic medieval castle of Bornato. The winery began making organic wines in 2010.

The "Monte della Santissima," also known as Barbisone Hill, is an ancient Roman settlement full of art and history from the region. The grapes of each vineyard are harvested by hand and the winemaking occurs separately so that every peculiarity is preserved and exalted as a true expression of our territory.

Clarabella has chosen organic from the beginning because it is inherent in her mission: to value resources. Organic farming aims to minimize the impact of human activity on the environment as much as possible, preserving biodiversity and reducing the use of water.

The grapes are the only ingredient of their work and an expression of a unique link with its territory. From the 200 hectares of vines located in 11 municipalities, there are 80 vineyards that each have a unique personality.

The 16th-century villa on property became a winery in 2004. All their wines are made with 100 percent chardonnay other than the rose (which is 100 percent pinot noir) because their chardonnay grapes are known to have a rich and beautiful taste. Since the wines have high acidity levels, each bottle pairs well with cheese.

Simone and Elena are the owners of Majolini and cousins whose grandfather bought the vineyard on top of the hill (you get there with a tractor or 4W drive) in the 1960s. The mostly female-run winery is on top of a hill made from limestone, which makes wine more mineral and more acidic and therefore it needs more time to age to reduce the acidity.

Mirabella is another fully organic winery in Franciacorta, and the first Franciacorta and DOCG sulfite and allergen-free sparkling wine. In the cellar, they use the 100 percent energy from renewable sources to achieve a product of respect for the consumer and region.