Differently Villa

Research

At Villa Franciacorta, the university and research have always been a part of its history.

Collaborations

There have been many operations carried out in collaboration with universities: from the zoning of the land in the 1960s/70s to the commissioned clones of 40-year-old Pinot plants (there was no distinction between Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay) found on the estate in 1960, and whose genetic heritage was preserved thanks to the meticulous work of the University of Piacenza. Today, these vines are a source of pride for the estate, representing a level of agriculture that is unmatched. These plants were selected for their strong resistance to Golden Flavescence and today produce surprising and unique aromatic and gustatory expressions.
In 2013, a new collaboration was established with the Department of Enology and Microbiology at the University of Florence, which began a study and research aimed at isolating yeasts present in the winery.

Objectives

Roberta Bianchi's idea is to avoid the use of industrially produced yeasts, commonly used in the global sparkling wine industry, and to escape homogenization in order to avoid trivializing or devaluing the identity pursued and protected until the moment of vinification. The use of indigenous yeasts makes the first fermentation one of the key steps in the strong characterization of the base wine. 300 genetic profiles present in the winery are selected and, after careful selection, not only for the fermentative kinetics but especially for the organoleptic, olfactory, and gustatory heritage facilitated by them, the decision is made to select two of them. They are then named: FCR3 and FCR6 where FC stands for Franciacorta and R for Roberta.

Results

In 2014, the first experimentation on the must begins and these yeasts are even tested in refermentation. Immediately they prove to be two thoroughbreds, albeit slower than industrial ones, able to bring out unique aromas and scents, enhancing the characteristics of the musts, enhancing the excellent olfactory and gustatory components and highlighting the varietal characteristics of the grapes from individual parcels. In the following years, the decision is to preferably use FCR3 on Pinot Noir and FCR6 on Chardonnay, but this is not a hard and fast rule, because every year nature and know-how decide which one is better to use and why.

The value of autochthonous yeasts

Since 2016, a protocol for the exclusive use of native yeasts in first fermentation has been established. Since that vintage, all wines are made exclusively with FCR6 and FCR3 yeasts. "Decision that we carry forward with pride, as with pride continues the use of the two yeasts used synergistically in refermentation for Cuvette. Research is still ongoing, partly because microbiology is a world as fascinating as it is complex, and variables that may seem obvious, need continuous study in order to pursue new and more ambitious goals!" We are convinced that uniqueness starts from the terroir and then grows as it grows in the fruit, and is enhanced in the wine until it is exalted in the refermentation, where each bottle is a world of its own, thanks to the precious Franciacorta production method, but it is even more so if the variable, not indifferent, of yeast becomes the protagonist and instrument of further distinction.