Arcari + Danesi

Giovanni Arcari and Nico Danesi are pioneering a new style of Franciacorta. They are dedicated to the identity of the region and believe that the mild, sunny slopes of Lombardia in north-west Italy, with their well-draining moraines of gravel and sand over limestone, are perfect for making traditional method sparkling wine that is unique – not just an Italian version of champagne. Over the last twelve years, they have sparked a “grower Franciacorta” movement by encouraging other small estates to produce and bottle their own wine, rather than selling to the big producers and négociants who hold much of the power in the region. Beginning with a small plot in 2006, their artisan approach has led them to become advocates not just for their own wines, but for the Franciacorta appellation as a whole (and ruffled a few feathers along the way!).

Working with chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot blanc, they allow the grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness before harvesting, and then to preserve the characteristics of the fruit, they use only the natural grape sugars to start the secondary fermentation, rather than adding refined sugar. They call this approach SoloUva: just grapes. The result is sparkling wine with all the complexity of long lees ageing and with a rich fruit character that speaks of its unique terroir.