Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta Soul Saten 2006
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In the second half of the 20th century, the brickyard went out of business. Vittorio Moretti purchased the property, mostly because of his wife Mariella’s childhood memories associated with this plant, which her godmother had owned and where she used to spend her afternoons after school. When the Franciacorta region was at the peak of its development in the 1980’s, Vittorio and Mariella Moretti decided to convert the brickyard into a winery. Its large spaces and long tunnels where the bricks were fired proved to be the perfect place for ageing Franciacorta vintages and welcoming wine lovers.
A skillful repurposing, which maintained the original designs, turned the ancient brickyard, Fornace Biasca, into today’s winery. The total surface area is 7,000 square meters, with the renovation plan involving a conservative restoration of the central building, with the ground floor used for vinification and ageing, the first floor turned into a finished goods warehouse and the second floor as a party and event location, seating over 300.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Containing an exciting mix of wine producing subregions, Lombardy is Italy’s largest in size and population. Good quality Pinot noir, Bonarda and Barbera have elevated the reputation of the plains of Oltrepò Pavese. To its northeast in the Alps, Valtellina is the source of Italy’s best Nebbiolo wines outside of Piedmont. Often missed in the shadow of Prosecco, Franciacorta produces collectively Italy’s best Champagne style wines, and for the fun and less serious bubbly, find Lambrusco Mantovano around the city of Mantua. Lugana, a dry white with a devoted following, is produced to the southwest of Lake Garda.