MEN ARE SERVED FIRST, THEN THE WOMEN: BELLAVISTA, ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN NAMES OF FRANCIACORTA, RE-INVENTS THE “ETIQUETTE FOR BUBBLIES” WITH THE LAUNCH OF ITS “FRANCIACORTA & CO.” RULES FOR TASTING

It is a universally known rule of etiquette that when pouring wine, the woman is served first and then the man. But counter orders have now come from one of the most important names in Italian wine. Bellavista, founded by Vittorio Moretti, and one of the most celebrated names of Franciacorta, has now changed the rules of etiquette for sparkling wines in order to fully appreciate what this territory produces. The primary change, according to the new rules, is that the woman must not be served first, because the first glass is always the warmest.
The neck of the bottle usually remains out of the ice bucket, thus it is less chilled, so, obviously, it is more an act of gallantry for a man to take the first glass than it is to serve a woman first. It would be wise, however, to explain why this apparent change of rules is occurring. What are the other etiquette suggestions from Franciacorta? If, for example, you have unexpected guests and a bottle of Franciacorta that is not at ideal serving temperature, what is the best way to cool it quickly? The freezer is not the right choice. The best way to cool a bottle of sparkling wine is to put it in a bucket full of water and ice, and with a dash of salt the cooling time is even faster. And the best way to fill a glass? Not all at once as is the habit, but in two movements, within just a few seconds of each other, so as to reduce the amount of foam (it can never be avoided all together because cold wine always foams when it first comes into contact with a warm glass). It is also better to pour the wine into the side of a glass rather than into the center.
The glass must never be filled to the top, but preferably to 2/5 of total capacity: it is best, in fact, to pour less wine but more often, so that it is always drunk while still cool. And speaking of temperatures, the ideal for Franciacorta is 6°, above all in summer, because as soon as wine is poured into a glass it automatically increases by 2-3°. This is why it is better to serve it a bit colder than the usually prescribed temperatures. It should also be remembered that a bottle of Franciacorta takes up to 5 hours in the refrigerator to reach its ideal temperature of 6°. When it is time open the bottle, forget about explosions and spills. Instead, incline the bottle to a 45° angle and while holding the cork firm, turn the bottom of the bottle with the other hand.
This new “code” for etiquette was recently tested by VIP’s from the world of politics and publishing at the “Bellavista Franciacorta” journalism awards, held in the company’s own wine cellars in Erbusco (Brescia), and which, each year, recognizes those who contribute to promoting “Italian Style”. Bellavista, considered one of the most innovative Italian companies for its publicity and communications, has launched a new trend that will surely catch on among the more attentive wine enthusiasts.