An unexpected invitation and a promise made long ago, sono stati i due motivi che mi hanno convinta ad unirmi ai festeggiamenti della decima annata del Franciacorta Brut Blanc de Blancs dell’Azienda Agricola Gian Paolo e Giovanni Cavalleri di Erbusco, Brescia.

A cuvée obtained by assembling mostly wines of the vintage 2010, un’annata speciale dovuta ad un inverno rigido e secco, una primavera tiepida e poco piovosa, un Maggio e un Giugno contraddistinto da piogge, e infine il 6 Luglio una violenta grandinata con una perdita del circa 30 % di produzione.

Questi eventi hanno favorito la formazione di botrite (muffa nobile con effetti positivi sull’aroma del vino), che ha convinto l’azienda ad un dosaggio con una liqueur senza zucchero in una bottiglia trasparente. Chardonnay 100 % proveniente per l’85 % dalla vendemmia 2010, e per il 15 % da quella del 2009.

Al mio arrivo mi ha accolto la cara Giulia Cavalleri, una donna dolce e gentile che ho incontrato di persona per la prima volta, but not only, lei mi ha coinvolto in una festa in cui erano presenti per lo più amici e clienti storici dell’azienda.

Quando controllando una mail, mi sono resa conto che era passato ormai un anno dall’ultima volta in cui c’eravamo sentite, quasi non ci potevo credere. Vorrei fare così tante cose, forse troppe, ma il tempo mi sfugge e passa veloce…

Dopo aver visitato le cantine ho raggiunto gli ospiti nella sala degustazione. Ero circondata da dipinti e ricordi di una famiglia, i Cavalleri, le cui origini antiche sono testimoniate da testi custoditi con cura nei loro archivi.

Proprietari terrieri nella zona di Erbusco fin dal 1450, ma produttori di vino solo dal 1967, anno in cui è stata riconosciuta la DOC Franciacorta.

Guardandomi intorno mi sono resa conto che non conoscevo nessuno, intendo persone legate al mondo della comunicazione. Ero perplessa e quasi stupita della cosa, forse perché ormai sono abituata agli inviti che puntano, più che alla conoscenza, alla diffusione dei marchi.

Siamo talmente presi, da perdere di vista l’importanza della condivisione e del piacere degli incontri; si è presenti, ma nello stesso tempo si è assenti. Io stessa faccio il mea culpa, and, nonostante la mia fama di gran parlatrice, a volte cado nell’errore.

Quindi decisa, ho iniziato col rompere il ghiaccio, or better, o iniziato assaggiando… 😉

From 1968 l’azienda porta il nome di “Gian Paolo e Giovanni Cavalleri” padre e figlio, che insieme hanno collaborato nella realizzazione della nuova cantina. In 1979 le prime 6000 bottiglie di Franciacorta, then, in 1990, la fondazione del Consorzio Volontario di Franciacorta composto da produttori e presieduto dallo stesso Giovanni Cavalleri.

Con gli anni l’azienda è divenuta sempre più a conduzione familiare, grazie alla collaborazione delle figlie di Giovanni, Maria e Giulia, e dei nipoti Francesco e Diletta.

Qualcosa però negli anni è cambiato. La decisione della famiglia Cavalleri di uscire dal Consorzio con l’azienda che ha contribuito a farne la storia, ha fatto scricchiolare il noto ‘fare sistema’ della Franciacorta. Personalmente sono convinta dell’importanza del “fare rete unendo le forze”. Proprio per questo ho chiesto a Giulia il motivo di questa svolta.

Sono stata combattuta nel pubblicare o meno la sua esaustiva risposta, but then, riflettendo, ho deciso di non farlo. Anche se in parte ne ha già reso noti i motivi, non mi interessa suscitare polemiche, mi limiterò a dire che la loro sofferta uscita dal Consorzio, del quale erano soci fondatori, è avvenuta cinque anni fa a causa di una non condivisione. Chissà che le cose possano cambiare…

Bruno Dotti, owner of the farm at St. Christopher Erbusco, the heart of Franciacorta.

"But above all, I have faith in the good wine, and I think it except those who believe ... " Luigi Pulci (1432 – 1484)

Luigi Pulci, Italian poet of the 1400 expresses his verses my thoughts: "I have faith in the good wine." But qow many believe with passion in wine? Far be it from me to debate, but as I often say, I have to believe in what I do and what I write, exactly as a winemaker has to believe in wine. The passion can not be expressed in another way ...

But by now about to make you understand why this is my premise.

I recently visited the Azienda Agricola San Cristoforo following the good advice of Mattia Vezzola, that, at my request I suggested their, and other realities to visit in the land of Franciacorta.

Bruno Dotti, owner of the family in which it collaborates with his wife Claudia, not born winemaker, anything but ... Years ago, following his father's passion has purchased a small viniculture as learning the art of making wine. From the two-hectare vineyard today its initial it covers twelve distributed in various plots all in the municipality of Erbusco.

During my visit Bruno told me about his happy life choice, choice slightly tarnished by the problems, classic by now that I'm used to listen to, related to the "strangling bureaucracy”.

After the visit to the vineyard and the winery we moved into the tasting room, just because, with my chat, some desire to be always satisfied. And here comes the fun, email me spiego ...

As usual, between photos instantly that I put in the network and camera in hand to stop the memories, I started my exploration. Drawn to some beautiful painted bottles on display here and the, I noted with great pleasure that they were productions of local realities and not.

What has impressed me so much that I could not fail to compliment the choice dictated by a genuine love for this industry, in this way, finds its proper expression in the "system".

At the conclusion of our meeting we toasted to those who believe in "true passion” in wine, drinking a cup of his Franciacorta DOCG Brut, Chardonnay grapes 100%.

Health drinkers passion!

Time fan feci visit Gianni Vittorio Capovilla, famous distiller which I have already told my story to another. Discorrevo to him about my project… maybe someone would call it a dream, but it costs nothing to dream. As I often say… if not try in life you never know what might have been.

Gianni he listened attentively ... understand my enthusiasm. Suddenly he told me: “Cynthia, You need to know a winemaker that believes in the territory, is called Mattia Vezzola". Director and winemaker of 'Company Bellavista a Erbusco in Franciacorta, Regional Councillor and National Association and Winemakers and Wine Italian, leads with his brother the Wine Company family Costa Ripa a Moniga del Garda. Having said, I can only say that I always follow the good advice. Then I went, I met and chatted in front of a glass of wine ... just like me.

• Our origins ... it all starts with them. How did you start your adventure in the world of wine?

By tradition; my family has been growing vines and producing wine since 1936 a Moniga del Garda.

•  Are you a great knowledge of the area, of vines and wines Gardesani. We can tell them briefly?

There are four varieties:  Groppello, Marzemino, Sangiovese and Barbera. Respectively elegance, sapidità, small red fruits and more fruits, more complexity and more freshness. The prince is the Valtènesi claret wine that comes from the four varieties with majority Groppello. And 'one of the most silky and papacies wines of the world.

• Wine to me is much more than a drink, the wine is history, is thought, is a philosophy of life. What is for you the wine?

The wine is knowing how to listen, know how to wait and seize, able to tell and excite, is past time, present and future, is a model of life, is the rule and discipline, It is respect of nature. The history of entire families, of generations.

•  I love to visit small producers, walk around with them in the vineyard and hear their stories. I live so the wine. I often hear the experts, however, argue that a small producer is unlikely to be able to make a quality wine for the lack of technology, that these realities can not sustain. I leave you the answer.

The dimensions are not significant, but it is important, to get close to the quality and consistency, have the ability and expertise to be able to choose. The excellence lies in thought and not in size.

•  It 'a difficult time for the sector. What do you think will make the institution to help manufacturers in a concrete way?

Grant institutionally responsibility for the choices and philosophies to guide the people of proven and established experience.

•  What advice would you give to a young person who wants to get started in this field?

Study, amare, and have the good fortune to meet with the external world.

And 'now widespread tendency to classify wines in biological, biodynamics, organic ... Do not you think that we can further confuse the consumer?

 I would say no;  bio should be a pre-requisite not to declare, the rest is in the know and do. There is a great attention from the cellars to the quality of their product and not just, Today it is thought also to the health of the consumer and hence a path of production does not necessarily organic or biodynamic, but the most natural possible.

• The consortia were born to unite the individual forces and protect the tenants. Often criticized, what think?

The consortium as its first task is to define the rules and enforce them. Second, protect and enhance the suitability of the land and of its product, through all means of communication available. Third, use, in order to get the general consensus of the consumer and a more enhanced credibility, the potential of each producer, enhancing each individual peculiarities, which gives an overview of the whole form to a project defined and concrete growth and development. Fourth, institutions work to get those awards and those indispensable supports, to be more competitive in the markets both established and emerging. In magazines, bind the land market.

• What is your reality in Franciacorta wine Promotion?

The consortium, through its organization and its press office, For some years shall endeavor to spread the name Franciacorta by any means that is identified in image quality, communication, and language, also through a direct form which is that of the itinerant Franciacorta Festival.