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Franciacorta: Italy's traditional-method sparkling

Where Franciacorta comes from, how it is made, the five styles and their minimum ageing, and how it differs from Champagne and Prosecco.

Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier

Updated October 2026 · 4 min read · Edited with AI

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On this page

Franciacorta in one minute
The five styles and their minimum time on the lees
The sweetness levels
Erbamat: the local grape
Franciacorta, Champagne or Prosecco?
Producers to know
Serving and food
Test yourself
Questions people ask

The short answer: Franciacorta is a sparkling wine from Lombardy, in northern Italy, made by the traditional method: the second fermentation happens in the bottle, as in Champagne. It is mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Nero, and every bottle spends at least 18 months on its lees. Expect ripe apple, peach and citrus, with the brioche notes of time on the lees.

Franciacorta in one minute

Where: rolling hills in the province of Brescia, at the southern end of Lake Iseo.
Status: DOC in 1967, DOCG in 1995. One word, "Franciacorta", names the place, the method and the wine.
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco (up to 50%) and the local Erbamat (up to 10%).
Method: traditional method only: a second fermentation in the bottle, then ageing on the lees.
Climate: warm, moderated by the lake and by cool air from the Alps, so the grapes ripen fully and keep their acidity.

The five styles and their minimum time on the lees

Style	Grapes	Minimum on the lees	Good to know
Franciacorta (non-vintage)	Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, up to 50% Pinot Bianco, up to 10% Erbamat	18 months	The house style, blended across years
Satèn	White grapes only: Chardonnay, up to 50% Pinot Bianco	24 months	Under 5 atmospheres, so a creamier, silky mousse; Brut only
Rosé	At least 35% Pinot Nero	24 months	Colour from skin contact or by blending in red wine
Millesimato	Any permitted grapes	30 months	Vintage wine: at least 85% from the year on the label
Riserva	Any permitted grapes	60 months	A Millesimato aged at least five years on its lees

Franciacorta (non-vintage): GrapesChardonnay, Pinot Nero, up to 50% Pinot Bianco, up to 10% Erbamat; Minimum on the lees18 months; Good to knowThe house style, blended across years

Satèn: GrapesWhite grapes only: Chardonnay, up to 50% Pinot Bianco; Minimum on the lees24 months; Good to knowUnder 5 atmospheres, so a creamier, silky mousse; Brut only

Rosé: GrapesAt least 35% Pinot Nero; Minimum on the lees24 months; Good to knowColour from skin contact or by blending in red wine

Millesimato: GrapesAny permitted grapes; Minimum on the lees30 months; Good to knowVintage wine: at least 85% from the year on the label

Riserva: GrapesAny permitted grapes; Minimum on the lees60 months; Good to knowA Millesimato aged at least five years on its lees

Satèn is the name to remember. It is unique to Franciacorta: made only from white grapes, at lower pressure than most sparkling wine, and only as Brut. The name was registered by the producers to describe its satin-like texture.

The sweetness levels

Franciacorta uses the same European terms as other sparkling wines: Dosaggio Zero (Brut Nature, no added sugar), Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Sec and Demi-Sec. Most bottles are Brut or drier. Satèn is always Brut.

Erbamat: the local grape

Erbamat is an old, late-ripening white grape of the Brescia area, admitted in 2017 to give acidity and freshness in a warming climate. It may make up to 10% of the blend, but not in Satèn.

Franciacorta, Champagne or Prosecco?

	Franciacorta	Champagne	Prosecco
Country	Italy (Lombardy)	France	Italy (Veneto, Friuli)
Main grapes	Chardonnay, Pinot Nero	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier	Glera
Second fermentation	In the bottle	In the bottle	Usually in a tank
Minimum on the lees (non-vintage)	18 months	12 months (15 months before release)	No lees ageing required
Taste	Ripe fruit, creamy, brioche	Citrus, chalk, brioche, sharper acidity	Pear, apple, flowers, light

Country: FranciacortaItaly (Lombardy); ChampagneFrance; ProseccoItaly (Veneto, Friuli)

Main grapes: FranciacortaChardonnay, Pinot Nero; ChampagneChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier; ProseccoGlera

Second fermentation: FranciacortaIn the bottle; ChampagneIn the bottle; ProseccoUsually in a tank

Minimum on the lees (non-vintage): Franciacorta18 months; Champagne12 months (15 months before release); ProseccoNo lees ageing required

Taste: FranciacortaRipe fruit, creamy, brioche; ChampagneCitrus, chalk, brioche, sharper acidity; ProseccoPear, apple, flowers, light

Franciacorta often tastes riper and rounder than Champagne, because it grows in a warmer place. For the full picture, see Champagne vs sparkling wine and the Prosecco guide.

Producers to know

Ca' del Bosco: the estate of Maurizio Zanella, with the Cuvée Prestige and the long-aged Annamaria Clementi.
Bellavista: elegant, Chardonnay-led wines from Erbusco.
Guido Berlucchi: the house that made the first Franciacorta sparkling wine, in 1961.
Ferghettina, Monte Rossa, Uberti, Cavalleri, Barone Pizzini: family estates worth seeking out.

Serving and food

Serve at 6 to 8 °C for non-vintage and Satèn; a little warmer, around 8 to 10 °C, for Millesimato and Riserva.
Use a tulip or universal glass, not a narrow flute, so the aromas open. See the best wine glasses.
With food: Satèn with risotto, fresh cheeses and white fish; Rosé with salumi and lake fish; Riserva with aged Parmigiano or roast veal.

Test yourself

Question 1

In which Italian region is Franciacorta?

a)Piedmont
b)Veneto
c)Lombardy
d)Trentino

Show answer

c) Lombardy. Franciacorta is in Lombardy, in the province of Brescia, south of Lake Iseo.

Question 2

What is the minimum time on the lees for non-vintage Franciacorta?

a)9 months
b)12 months
c)18 months
d)24 months

Show answer

c) 18 months. Non-vintage Franciacorta must spend at least 18 months on its lees.

Question 3

Which statement about Satèn is true?

a)It must contain Pinot Nero
b)It is made only from white grapes and only as Brut
c)It is always a vintage wine
d)It is made by the tank method

Show answer

b) It is made only from white grapes and only as Brut. Satèn is white grapes only (Chardonnay, up to 50% Pinot Bianco), under 5 atmospheres, Brut only.

Question 4

How long must a Franciacorta Riserva spend on its lees?

a)30 months
b)36 months
c)48 months
d)60 months

Show answer

d) 60 months. Riserva needs at least 60 months on the lees; Millesimato needs 30.

Question 5

What is the minimum share of Pinot Nero in Franciacorta Rosé?

a)15%
b)25%
c)35%
d)50%

Show answer

c) 35%. Franciacorta Rosé must contain at least 35% Pinot Nero.

Question 6

Which local grape was admitted to Franciacorta in 2017?

a)Erbamat
b)Glera
c)Nascetta
d)Verdiso

Show answer

a) Erbamat. Erbamat, an old late-ripening white grape of Brescia, may be up to 10% of the blend (not in Satèn).

Study sparkling wine with SOMM DIGI AI Sparkling wine quiz

Questions people ask

Is Franciacorta the same as Prosecco?

No. Franciacorta is traditional-method sparkling wine from Lombardy, mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Nero, aged on its lees. Prosecco is mostly Glera from Veneto and Friuli, usually made in a tank.

Is Franciacorta made like Champagne?

Yes. Both use the traditional method, with the second fermentation in the bottle. Franciacorta's minimum time on the lees is longer: 18 months for non-vintage.