The fortunes of Franciacorta are deeply rooted in the past. It all began thousands of years ago when the mighty glaciers began to recede and left an imposing morainal deposit on the edge of what became Lake Iseo in the province of Lombardy. The erosion formed a set of hills with ideal soil and a unique micro-climate for the development of vineyards. The area is so naturally suited for vines that it could be rightfully claimed that grapes have always grown here but the first written evidence of grape production dates back only to the tenth century.
The name Franciacorta might sound as though it was created by some modern advertising agent but in fact, is derived from Franzacurta (from the Latin "Frachae curtes", i.e. the region exempt from paying taxes) and as such the zone was identified in a thirteenth century codex.
Franciacorta's fame as a highly respected wine producing region has grown continuously over the ensuing centuries.
However, in the 1960's it was discovered that the greatest potential for this region was actually in the production of classic-method, dry sparkling wines. In 1967, the zone was among the first recognized by the Italian government when the laws creating the D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata - controlled denomination of origin) were enacted. Entrepreneurs were attracted to the newly realized potential for "spumante" and settled in the area with a sincere passion to create truly world-class sparklers. Within a short time Franciacorta made huge strides. Their spumante was being acclaimed internationally for its elegance and its bubbles. Franciacorta has made giant strides to win a place in the front ranks of international enology, above all for its sparkling wine, which in September 1995 earned recognition as D.O.C.G., the guaranteed status reserved for an elite of Italy's wines of controlled origin. Under D.O.C.G., the name Franciacorta indicates not only the zone of origin but also the typology.
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