Franciacorta Brut (Non-vintage) - Contadi Castaldi
The Franciacorta Brut Contadi Castaldi is produced in Lombardy, a region known for its high-quality sparkling wines. The Contadi Castaldi winery is particularly renowned for its attention to detail and for the use of traditional methods in winemaking. Curiously, the winery is housed in an old brick factory, which has been restored and turned into a modern winemaking facility.
Franciacorta Brut (Non-vintage) - Contadi Castaldi
Type: Sparkling wine or Champagne
Area: Italy, Lombardy, Franciacorta
Appellation: Franciacorta DOCG
Grape variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: Non-vintage
Winery: Contadi Castaldi
Alcohol: 12%
The appellation: Franciacorta DOCG
The Franciacorta DOCG is one of the most prestigious appellations in Italy and the benchmark for the production of Metodo Classico sparkling wines, in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. Known for its excellence and its long tradition, Franciacorta was the first Italian sparkling wine to obtain DOCG status (1995), standing out for the quality and elegance of its wines.Made mainly from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco, Franciacorta wines are characterised by their freshness, aromatic complexity and fine, persistent perlage, with long ageing on the lees that gives them depth and longevity.
Find out more about Franciacorta DOCGWhat to eat with Franciacorta Brut
Who makes it: Contadi Castaldi
Born at the end of the ’80s from an idea of Vittorio Moretti, already the entrepreneur behind Bellavista and high-end hospitality, Contadi Castaldi takes its name from the old "counties" (Contadi) and their landed stewards (Castaldi), a historical nod to the region’s farming origins.
Find out more about Contadi CastaldiThe vine of Franciacorta Brut
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted and prestigious white grape varieties in the world, originally from Burgundy, in France. Thanks to its great adaptability to different climates and soils, Chardonnay is grown in many wine regions, expressing unique characteristics according to the terroir and the winemaking style.
Find out moreFranciacorta Brut: the area
Franciacorta
Franciacorta, in Lombardy, in the province of Brescia, is one of Italy’s most prestigious wine regions and the birthplace of Italian traditional-method sparkling wines. This area, which stretches across the morainic hills around Lake Iseo, has a unique terroir with mineral-rich soils, a temperate climate and marked day-night temperature swings, ideal for producing wines of great elegance and longevity.The area is famous for producing Franciacorta DOCG, Italy’s most renowned sparkling wine, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco, with the addition in some styles of Erbamat, an old native grape variety. Franciacorta is also an outstanding wine-tourism destination, with historic wineries, beautiful landscapes and a wine culture rooted in tradition.
Find out more about FranciacortaClimate: Continental
Altitude: Low Altitude (0-200 m above sea level)
Soil: Limestone / chalk
Geographical setting: Lake
Profile of Franciacorta Brut
Primary aromas: Citrus, Apple, Mineral
Secondary aromas: dried fruit, mineral notes
Tertiary aromas: Nuts and dried fruit
Tasting notes: The Franciacorta Brut Contadi Castaldi is a straightforward, refined wine, marked by a delicate effervescence and a luminous golden-yellow colour. On the nose it reveals notes of apple, pear and citrus, enriched by nuances of white flowers and yeast. On the palate it is balanced and persistent, with a fresh, elegant taste that perfectly reflects its aromas.
| Sulphites | yes |
| Body | Full-bodied |
| Acidity | Medium-high |
| Tannin | Medium-low |
| Sweetness | Dry |
| Colour | Golden yellow |
| Clarity | Clear |
Winemaking methods used for Franciacorta Brut
Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel
Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel is a technique that makes it possible to produce fresh, fruity, clean wines, preserving the varietal aromas of the grapes at their best.
Find out moreMetodo Classico
The Metodo Classico is a refined sparkling winemaking technique used to produce high-quality sparkling wines. This method, also known as méthode champenoise (when speaking of Champagne), involves a second fermentation in the bottle, which gives the wine its characteristic fine, persistent bubbles, together with complex aromas and an elegant structure.
Find out moreSecond fermentation in the bottle
Second fermentation in the bottle is the distinctive stage of the Metodo Classico (or Champenoise), the technique used to produce high-quality sparkling wines. After a first fermentation that gives rise to a base wine, the wine is bottled with the addition of a “liqueur de tirage” (a mixture of sugar and yeasts) which starts a new fermentation directly in the bottle, responsible for the natural formation of the bubbles. This practice lies behind some of the world's most refined wines, such as Champagne, Franciacorta, Trento DOC and Crémant.
Find out moreAgeing methods used for Franciacorta Brut
In bottle (over 36 months)
Ageing in bottle for more than 36 months is a practice reserved for wines for long laying down, designed for those seeking depth, finesse and maximum aromatic development. During this extended period, the wine matures sheltered from light and oxygen, letting time do its work in silence. This stage is particularly important for vintage wines, riservas and great classics, which in this way reach a perfect balance between intensity, elegance and sensory complexity.
Find out moreTime on the lees for Franciacorta Brut
- Long (19–36 months)