Signature bubbles in wineries and castles. The “Franciacorta Festival” is back (September 13-15)

The bubbles of one of the most prestigious wine Regions in Italy are the common thread linking events and locations at the 25th edition of “Franciacorta Festival in Cantina” (September 13-15). It is one of wine enthusiasts’ most loved and eagerly awaited events, winding its way through wineries, castles, monasteries and historic homes, among tastings and art exhibitions, guided tours and concerts, cooking shows and meetings with famous chefs. 70 wineries will open their doors, including Bellavista, Ca' del Bosco, Castello Bonomi, Montenisa, Contadi Castaldi, Mosnel, Castelveder, Lo Sparviere, La Montina, Ricci Curbastro, Uberti, Antica Fratta, Camillucci, Mirabella - the complete list here - offering tastings, vertical tastings, in-depth analyses of the method and the different types of Franciacorta, and meetings with producers. There will also be space open to discussion and debate (at the conference "Franciacorta Festival turns 25", in which professionals and experts will take stock of how the festival will evolve in the future, focusing on new trends, immersive experiences and using social media to reach new audiences). The “Franciacorta in Cantina Festival” is promoted by the Consortium, one of the most reputable and active wine business organizations in our Country. The Consortium also promotes major events outside the sector, such as the Mille Miglia, the Michelin Guide (in Italy and the USA), the Emmy Awards, Milan Fashion Week, as well as high-level restaurant events in Italy and around the world. The event is a unique opportunity to spend a weekend immersed in the atmosphere of a territory that has immense charm. In addition to visiting the winery, there will be walking and cycling tours as well as a picnic in the vineyards, food and wine experiences, street food, live music and hot air balloon excursions. And, you can also taste special menus paired with Franciacorta wines in restaurants, cooking workshops, cooking shows and meetings with renowned chefs, who will share local traditional secrets and recipes. There will be numerous cultural activities including guided visits to historical monuments, art exhibitions and concerts, held in monasteries, castles and historic homes immersed in the vineyards. Every inch of the Franciacorta area - now leader of Italian Classic Method sparkling wines, its wines positioned at the top of the market, as well as one of the most successful wine tourism areas - will come alive offering activities that celebrate culture, tradition and above all, wine. The Franciacorta Consortium also offers guided tastings in Erbusco, titled “Good Senses”, an experience in which you will appreciate the nuances of Franciacorta through a multi sensory journey.
The conference, “Franciacorta Festival turns 25” offers an excellent opportunity for discussion while celebrating an important milestone. It will focus on future prospects, where experts in the fields of marketing, technology and innovation will offer a vision of how the Festival will evolve in coming years. The new trends and targets of tomorrow will be addressed: sustainability; experiential tourism; wellness and the well-being aspect, and digital nomads. One of the many events scheduled is Freccianera (the brand that brings together all the Franciacorta wines produced by Fratelli Berlucchi), which will launch “La panchina dorata”. On September 13th (Friday) at sunset, a magical bench in Franciacorta colors will be inaugurated, surrounded by vineyards, to discover the hills in the area from a new point of view. For the occasion, a special toast will be offered of Franciacorta Riserva Casa delle Colonne 2011 and 2012.
The Franciacorta Estates of the Terra Moretti Vino Group - Bellavista, Contadi Castaldi and Convento Santissima Annunciata - have a scheduled a very full program. At Bellavista, the star player will be Chef Carlo Cracco, who will prepare lunch and dinner (September 14th, Saturday). In Contadi Castaldi, the terrace will light up with the voices and music of its DJs for a super cool festival. Tastings on the terrace will be accompanied by four food trucks (and, also on September 14th, a four-handed cooking show with Fabrizio Nonis and the starred chef Marco Galtarossa). In the Santissima Annunciata Convent, on Monte Orfano (at 450 meters asl, ed.), art and nature will be the stars in the exhibition of the artist from Brescia, Sara Landriscina, which will be the backdrop of visits and tastings in the garden and in the cloister, as well as of the convivial dinner under the stars (September 14th). The Cantine di Franciacorta, are organizing a unique tasting of Satèn on September 14th and 15th, in their most famous and well-stocked wine shops. The star players are 40 local wineries that have been selected among the most famous and the most interesting emerging ones. Each company will offer two types of Franciacorta, the Satèn and another of its choice, and the tastings will be accompanied by a refined buffet (four sessions per day are scheduled, each lasting about two hours). The Montina company is offering “Picnic in the Vineyard”, an immersion in nature and the characteristic Franciacorta vineyards. After a visit to the winery and a guided tasting, guests will be welcomed under a green pergola to taste local delicacies, masterfully prepared by the chefs of Villa Baiana, and accompanied by Franciacorta wines from Montina. Castello Bonomi, the Paladin family Estate, will welcome visitors and enthusiasts to taste its classic bubbles and the Franciacorta Cuvée 1564 Brut Nature Millesimato 2017, the first and only Franciacorta containing 10% Erbamat, a native grape variety that gives an extra boost. It will be a unique opportunity to visit the only château in the area, on the slopes of Monte Orfano, surrounded by a centuries-old park and splendid terraced vineyards, enclosed by a dry stone wall dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.