From Zurich to Vienna by way of London, Franciacorta consolidates its international visibility with masterclasses and tastings
For Franciacorta, the school year began just outside the national borders, in a country which confirmed its export supremacy by covering more than 20% of foreign trade in 2022: on 5 September in Zurich, twenty-eight Franciacorta wineries told their stories to wine connoisseurs from all over the region at seminars and tasting stands. The event was held in cooperation with Falstaff – an authoritative Austrian wine magazine active in German-speaking Europe – and took place in the stylish setting of the Kunsthaus Bar. The establishment welcomed trade professionals with a morning masterclass introduced by Franciacorta Consortium President Silvano Brescianini and guided by Othmar Kiem, executive editor of Falstaff Switzerland. The afternoon continued with an itinerant tasting open to the general public, which provided the opportunity to explore the distinctive traits of the various types of Franciacorta, appreciating the characteristics linked to the grape varieties, ageing times and dosages as established by the guidelines.
On 21 September, it was London’s turn when it hosted the DOCG wine from Brescia at 67 Pall Mall. This private club in the heart of St James’s – founded in 2015 (by royal decree) “by wine lovers, for wine lovers” – prides itself on having held the first free wine webinars to enliven the days of pandemic isolation, and now receives men and women from British politics and the City of London in its stylish lounges for tastings and workshops. Reserved for the “Franciacorta Walk-Around-Tasting”, the St James’s Room also hosted journalists and experts, who together with Club members discovered the secrets of the Docg by tasting the wines of thirty-two producers under the guidance of Federico Moccia and Nelson Pari, naturally in collaboration with the Consortium.
The European tour will continue on 16 October in the Austrian capital for the third edition of the Franciacorta Festival in Vienna. Representatives of the press, professionals and wine enthusiasts are invited to the tasting stands that will be set up at the Hotel Almanac and will involve seventeen wineries. Those who would like to explore the world of Franciacorta in more depth can participate in the seminar held by Walter Kutscher, Vice-President of the Vienna Sommelier Association and lecturer in sensory analysis and international wine marketing at the University of Applied Sciences in Eisenstadt. Ten wines belonging to different typologies will be discussed in their specifics, from the balance of the blend of grapes to the influence of the periods of ageing on the lees on the gustatory notes and nose, and on to pairings. Here Franciacorta’s versatility will be at the forefront of an exclusive dinner dedicated to influential figures in Viennese society, where the prestigious Italian sparkling wine will be paired with an entire menu.
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