Curtefranca

About the wine

Curtefranca is the DOC designation for the still wines produced in the Franciacorta area of Lombardy, distinct from the region's famous sparkling wines. The appellation focuses on two primary styles: a white wine based on Chardonnay, and a red wine built on a blend of Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Merlot. The production zone, characterized by a complex morainic amphitheater near Lake Iseo, provides a unique mesoclimate that balances alpine influences with lake-driven thermal regulation. The white wines are typically elegant, floral, and sapid, while the reds offer medium-bodied, harmonious profiles with characteristic fruity and occasionally herbaceous notes. The regulation also provides for a 'vigna' (vineyard) designation, which mandates stricter yields and longer aging periods to highlight specific terroir expressions. Curtefranca represents a historical continuity of viticulture in the region, rooted in the medieval 'curtes francae' (free courts) that once defined the area's agricultural identity.

Grape varieties

Production & aging

The production area is located in the province of Brescia, encompassing the communes of Paratico, Capriolo, Adro, Erbusco, Corte Franca, Iseo, Ome, Monticelli Brusati, Rodengo Saiano, Paderno Franciacorta, Passirano, Provaglio d'Iseo, Cellatica, Gussago, and parts of Cologne, Coccaglio, Rovato, Cazzago San Martino, and Brescia. It is defined by a morainic amphitheater south of Lake Iseo, bordered by the Oglio River to the west and the hills of Gussago and Cellatica to the east.