Berlucchi: The First Franciacorta, Made in Lombardy Since 1961

Few things capture the spirit of celebration like a glass of sparkling wine. Italy offers many, and Franciacorta is among the finest. What sets it apart from Prosecco or Asti Spumante is the traditional method, shared with Champagne, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.

"What if…" and the history of Berlucchi

Winemaking in Lombardy goes back centuries, but in the 1960s Guido Berlucchi and Franco Ziliani changed the area with a shared dream: bringing the French method to Italy. The result was the first Franciacorta.

The story begins in the 16th-century Palazzo Lana Berlucchi, a grand estate once owned by the Lana de' Terzi family. In 1958, the young winemaker Franco Ziliani approached Count Guido Berlucchi in the historic "caminadù" room and asked: "What if we made a sparkling wine the way the French do?"

After three years of experimentation, the 1961 vintage produced just three thousand bottles of the very first Franciacorta. When they were opened the following year, the results exceeded every expectation.

Franciacorta today

Franciacorta now ranks among the world's top sparkling wine regions. Berlucchi's example drew many producers to follow, and the area earned DOCG status, Italy's highest classification of quality.

Berlucchi is still family-run. After Franco Ziliani, leadership passed to his children Cristina, Arturo and Paolo, who added three collections: Berlucchi '61, Berlucchi '61 Nature and Palazzo Lana Riserva. The estate keeps yields low to secure the best grapes, for wines of finesse and authenticity.

The traditional method

The vineyards grow Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. The grapes are harvested by hand and carried in small crates to protect them, then pressed to separate fractions of must with distinct characteristics.

The clarified juice ferments in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels to become the base wine. The winemaker blends varietals and vintages into the cuvée, which is bottled with yeast and sugar, sealed with a crown cap and left to ferment a second time in the bottle. This forms the fine bubbles.

The wine then rests on the lees in the historic cellars for at least 18 months, and up to ten years for prestige cuvées. The bottles are riddled and disgorged to remove the yeast sediment. A small amount of wine and sugar, the dosage, may be added to set the final style. The bottles are corked, labeled and aged for several more months before release.

Reading the label helps:

• Pas dosé, Nature or Zero dosage — the driest styles, under 3 g/l of sugar
• Extra Brut — 3–6 g/l
• Brut — 6–12 g/l

Satèn is unique to Franciacorta: a silky, low-pressure Blanc de Blancs with gentle bubbles. Riserva wines age on the lees for at least five years, and Millesimato wines come from a single exceptional year.

The Berlucchi collection

• Cuvée Imperiale — "the life and soul of the party," the original Franciacorta. Versatile and vibrant, for any toast.
• Berlucchi '61 — bright, crisp expressions that echo the carefree spirit of the 1960s, such as the Extra Brut (85% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Nero) with citrus and mineral notes.
• Berlucchi '61 Nature — aged at least five years with no added dosage, a pure expression of terroir.
• Palazzo Lana Riserva — produced only in exceptional vintages and aged nine years on the lees.

A toast

Whether marking a milestone or a quiet moment, a bottle of Berlucchi Franciacorta brings celebration to the table. Find it at your local Eataly or online at Eataly Vino.