Guido Berlucchi toasts the sixty years of the first Franciacorta

It was 1955 when, in the setting of the seventeenth-century Palazzo Lana in Borgonato, Guido Berlucchi, descendant of the noble Lana de ‘Terzi family, he meets the young winemaker Franco Ziliani. An apparently simple idea unites them: produce a great classic Italian method in the province of Brescia. With the vintage of 1961 and the first 3,000 bottles, the Franciacorta, of which Berlucchi is synonymous and undisputed leader. Sixty years later, time has confirmed the genius of that intuition.

Not only is the maison who created the legendary wine a brand celebrated all over the world, but his famous elixir ended up giving life to one of the the most interesting and dynamic oenological realities of Italy.

2021 therefore represents aimportant milestone for the company, which is preparing to face a phase of profound innovation with the same spirit with which its founder gave life, more than half a century ago, to a category that had never existed in the hills south of Lake Iseo. But there is more. Just this year Wine Spectator, the most influential trade magazine in the world, attributed to Berlucchi’s top wine, the Palazzo Lana Extreme 2009, the highest score ever achieved by a Franciacorta (93) and a set of ratings for the Guido Berlucchi Linea ’61 all from 90+. “We dedicate this important milestone to our father Franco Ziliani, who turns 90 this year” tell the brothers Cristina, Arturo and Paolo Ziliani today at the helm of the winery «Who, as a tenacious Brescian, has always taught us not to give up, but with a vision and a very clear path in front of our eyes. Thus we begin a new decade with even greater determination and we are aware of having accompanied the company well in recent years towards future successes ».

There are many projects to celebrate such important milestones. First of all, the famous Imperial Cuvée Line expands its range and redesigns the look in a minimalist and contemporary way. For collectors then, it is born a special limited edition “Franco Ziliani” of a Franciacorta based on Chardonnay obtained from the best owned vineyards, with 96 months on the lees. In summer, the historic Palazzo Lana, headquarters of Guido Berlucchi, will be the setting for the celebrations for Franco Ziliani’s 90th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of his creation, the first Franciacorta. Every Friday in summer, starting from June, it will be possible to do a tour of the historic cellar accompanied by an expert guide. The visit will end with one tasting (Berlucchi ’61 Franciacorta Satèn and Berlucchi ’61 Franciacorta Nature 2013 wines for tasting) accompanied by a light dinner, the perfect way to discover the traditional flavors of the area.

Also not to be missed the splendid vineyards covering over 500 hectares of an area that, for its variety and beauty, represents the perfect destination for wine tourism enthusiasts. This year the company will publish the second edition of «First Harvest», sustainability report established in 2019 with EYSustainability and the consultancy of Lifegate, which quickly became the benchmark for the entire denomination. That of 2021 is one particularly important publication to understand the impact of climate change and the effects of the pandemic on land management. Quality and sustainability in fact, they represent the very foundations of the brand which, in this new decade that has just begun, aims not only to produce excellent wines but also to culture and actions aimed at concretely enhancing the territory.