IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FRANCIACORTA
Discover more about Franciacorta
In 2025, the Franciacorta Consortium celebrates its 35th anniversary. Decanter talks to its president, Emanuele Rabotti, who reflects on the decades since the organisation’s founding and shares his vision for the years to come.
35 years of Franciacorta: Continuing the legacy
Traditional-method excellence in Lombardy
Synonymous with Italian luxury and the finer things in life, the ‘metodo classico’ wines of Franciacorta are made from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco and Erbamat, and undergo a secondary fermentation in bottle. Franciacorta has carved out an important niche in the world of premium sparkling wine, with worldwide exports more than doubling from 2011 to 2024.
This celebrated winemaking area, which gives its name to the wines it produces, sits in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Surrounding the city of Brescia, it lies to the south of Lake Iseo and is bordered by the Oglio and Mella rivers. Characterised by its mineral-rich soils, the Franciacorta denomination encompasses 19 villages.
Although the denomination is relatively new in the history of winemaking, Franciacorta is thought to trace its name back to the Middle Ages, from the Latin francae cortes, and the 1570 Libellus de Vino Mordaci describes the production of sparkling wine in the area.
The wines produced here celebrate Italian excellence: Franciacorta goes hand-in-hand with the world of art and high fashion, and its wines have been used to celebrate historic moments including the 2015 Milan Expo, where Franciacorta was served as the official sparkling wine.
Franciacorta is an example of Italian winemaking excellence that is now being appreciated internationally. It is a [special] combination of terroir, people and a unique spirit: a team. This is our strength. We are a very united, close-knit group of people in Franciacorta
Emanuele Rabotti, Franciacorta Consorzio
”
“
The gatekeeper for premium Italian sparkling wine: The Franciacorta Consortium
The Franciacorta Consortium, which oversees the production and promotion of these revered sparkling wines, marks its 35th anniversary this year. Founded in 1990 with just 29 members, the consortium has since gone from strength to strength.
In 1995, a separate DOCG for the sparkling wines of Franciacorta was created. This was a pivotal moment for the consortium – and for Italy, since it was the country’s first DOCG dedicated solely to the production of traditional-method sparkling wines.
Today, the consortium boasts a membership in excess of 200, including more than 120 wineries.
Talking to Franciacorta Consorzio president Emanuele Rabotti
Decanter spoke to newly appointed president Emanuele Rabotti at the beginning of his three-year tenure.
‘My vision is to continue the work of my father [Paolo Rabotti], who was the first president of the Consorzio, to keep moving things forward on the right path with the same spirit.
‘Franciacorta is an example of Italian winemaking excellence that is now being appreciated internationally. It is a combination of terroir, people and a unique spirit: a team. This is our strength. We are a very united, close-knit group of people in Franciacorta.
‘[The wine industry’s current challenges] actually provide a good opportunity… We have become a reference point for quality. At a time of economic uncertainty, people look to spend in a better way: they look for quality. This is borne out in our sales figures.
‘35 years is a very special anniversary. It is not that long a time in the wider wine world, but it is amazing how we have been able to transform and protect our wine and land in this short time. In 35 years, we have been able to carve out an important corner of the market for traditional-method wines.
‘The regulations of the DOCG are very restrictive, enabling us to guarantee that each bottle of Franciacorta contains high-quality wine. We are working on our third zoning project, enabling us to map and identify the characteristics [of each individual vineyard area] so as to harness and highlight these characteristics in our wines in the future. This search for further detail exemplifies our desire to produce an ever-more specialised product.
‘Sustainability is fundamental for Franciacorta. It is something you understand properly when you visit our region. We are moving towards a ‘precision agriculture’ approach: rather than focusing on the vineyard as a whole, we are considering the needs of each individual plant. This requires significant investment in technology and research, such as experimenting with using robots for work in the vineyard, to limit the impact of using tractors.
‘Franciacorta is a green lung in the heart of Lombardy, a heavily populated, industrial region. Our holistic approach seeks to preserve this beautiful territory: healthy, good grapes result in good wines.’
As for the coming years, the aim is simple. As the president puts it, ‘The future poses lots of challenges: consistency of excellence is key.’
Published 10 November 2025