Franciacorta Satèn DOCG (2020) - Contadi Castaldi
This wine is made only from Chardonnay grapes, which helps give it a unique, distinctive flavour. The distinguishing feature of Satèn is its delicate effervescence, the result of lower pressure in the bottle than in other sparkling wines. Finally, 2020 was a particularly favourable year for wine production in Franciacorta, thanks to ideal weather conditions that produced high-quality grapes.
Franciacorta Satèn DOCG (2020) - Contadi Castaldi
Type: Sparkling wine or Champagne
Area: Italy, Lombardy, Franciacorta
Appellation: Franciacorta Satèn DOCG
Grape variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2020
Winery: Contadi Castaldi
Alcohol: 12.5%
The appellation: Franciacorta Satèn DOCG
The Franciacorta Satèn DOCG is one of the most elegant and refined expressions of Franciacorta, the famous traditional method sparkling wine of Lombardy. Marked by a unique creaminess and a very fine, silky perlage, Satèn is a type exclusive to the Franciacorta appellation, designed to bring out freshness, finesse and elegance. The term Satèn indeed recalls silk and identifies a sparkling wine that is softer and more delicate than the other Franciacortas, thanks to a lower internal pressure (maximum 5 atmospheres) and to the selection of white grapes only.
Find out more about Franciacorta Satèn DOCGWhat to eat with Franciacorta Satèn DOCG
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 Satèn DOCG
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 Satèn DOCG: 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: Hilly
Profile of Franciacorta Satèn DOCG
Primary aromas: Apple, Peach, Grapefruit
Secondary aromas: Butter, White flowers, Hazelnut
Tertiary aromas: Yeast, Honey, Vanilla
Tasting notes: This example offers a straw-yellow colour with golden reflections, bright and inviting. On the nose it shades delicately between notes of apple, white flowers and toasted bread, with a hint of vanilla. In the mouth it is a triumph of elegance and balance: the acidity is well judged and supports a creamy, enveloping structure. The perlage is very fine, persistent and pleasantly lively. The finish is long, with reminiscences of citrus and toasted almonds. Perfect paired with fish dishes or as an aperitif.
| Sulphites | yes |
| Body | Creamy |
| Acidity | Medium |
| Tannin | Absent |
| Sweetness | Dry |
| Finish | Long |
| Colour | Golden yellow |
| Clarity | Clear |
Winemaking methods used for Franciacorta Satèn DOCG
Metodo 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 Satèn DOCG
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 Satèn DOCG
- Long (19–36 months)