Franciacorta DOCG is an Italian sparkling wine produced the same way as French Champagne, and it tastes like it.
Much the same as Champagne:
Apple. Pear. Citrus.
A hint of Vanilla in the finish.
Yeast and Nutty flavors are common to all Champagne types.
You can drink Franciacorta to almost anything:
Lobster. Caviar. Sushi. Smoked Salmon.
Scrambled Eggs. Fried Fish.
Potato Chips. (Yes)
| Serving temperatures: 8-10°C (46-50°F) |
Franciacorta is produced in the Province of Brescia in Lombardy and is a DOCG since 1995.
The DOCG permitted grape varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and Pinot Bianco.
The production method of Italian Franciacorta (Metodo Classico) is the same as for French Champagne (Méthode Champenoise). In fact Franciacorta is more similar to Champagne than to Prosecco.
Although the Franciacorta wine region has been producing wines since the Middle Ages, Franciacorta sparkling wines DOCG are a new addition to the tradition, they were born in the 1960ies.
Franciacorta tastes like Champagne but it is cheaper and needs less "dosage" (added sugar to start the secondary fermentation) because the warmer climate allows grapes to ripen and have a natural high sugar content.