The quality of Italian wine has shown, in the last thirty years, important changes which can be considered as a revolution. Production methods, cultural practices and commercial strategies based on quality, have drastically changed the world of wine in Italy and its consumption as well. The merit goes to the many obstinate and tenacious producers who believed in the richness of the heritage found in their lands, convinced that from their vineyards could born wines with excellent quality, as to be compared, with no fear, to the ones considered as wines par excellence. A fundamental contribution to this change must be recognized - with no doubt - to Franciacorta, today one of the most refined producers of bubbles in the world, as to compete, and frequently win, the comparison with the production of the other countries in the world. The history of Franciacorta is extraordinary: in just about 30 years it was capable of becoming one of the most important producers of bubbles in the world, the first Italian classic method sparkling wine to reach the status of Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin, DOCG).

	The court of Bersi Serlini winery

 It was 1967 when the wines of Franciacorta obtained the Denominazione d'Origine Controllata status (Denomination of Controlled Origin, DOC), a goal which will lead, after about thirty years - in 1995 - to the Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita status (DOCG) for the prestigious bubbles of this land. An important role towards this goal was certainly played by Bersi Serlini that, among the other things, was the first winery to produce in 1970 Franciacorta Brut. The story of Bersi Serlini winery begins in 1886, when the family acquired a property situated in “Cerreto” place, an ancient site belonging to the monks of Cluny. A site rich in history and with a deep connection with the vine and wine. The first document mentioning the presence of the vine at “Cerreto” is dated back to 1489, in a parchment concerning the census in the lands of the Monastery of Saint Peter in Lamosa at Provaglio d'Iseo. “Cerreto” will change its property many times in the course of its history, up to 1765, when it will pass under the control of private subjects and to the control of many families, until 1886, when it was finally acquired by the Bersi Serlini family.

 The headquarter of Bersi Serlini is located in a farmhouse of the monastery - dated back to 1400s and used in the past to accommodate the rooms of monks - subsequently widen around the half of 1900s by lawyer Piero Bersi Serlini. Here, in 1970, under the supervision of the son Arturo, will be produced the first bottle of Franciacorta Brut. After more than 35 years, Bersi Serlini - which recently increased the range of its products with the prestigious Franciacorta Brut Vintage 2000 - represents still today one of the most important wineries in Franciacorta. The management is today led by Maddalena Bersi Serlini - who is also the regional president of “Donne del Vino” association in Lombardy (Women of wine) - and her sister Chiara Bersi Serlini. For little more than one year, Bersi Serlini also takes advantage of the competence of Ms. Antonietta Zandomeneghi, a marketing expert, who after having worked with many wineries in north Italy, she is now in charge of communication strategies, commercial management and marketing.

Bersi Serlini's Franciacorta in pupitres

 Bersi Serlini family is in the wine business for more than one hundred years, by cultivating with passion and commitment the thirty hectares destined to vineyards. Bersi Serlini's vineyards take advantage of a good aeration and the soil is composed by a thick layer of limestone, a part of clay and silt, softened by an abundant layer of sands of alluvial origins. The composition of the soil is such to give the wines characters of finesse and elegance, expressions of Provaglio and Timoline territories. Also the microclimate found in the vineyards in pretty favorable: twelve hours of daily aeration which regularly happen in summertime, from 10PM to 10AM, a mild and cool climate ideal for the cultivation of the vine. Vineyards are cultivated by following the principles of Eco Environmental Culture, with a limited use of treatments and therefore a better respect for the environment.

 The thirty hectares of vineyards and property of Bersi Serlini, are mainly cultivated with Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc varieties, a small part is destined to Pinot Noir, whereas about three hectares are destined to the cultivation of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The cultivation of vineyards is supervised by agronomist Dr. Pierluigi Villa, by following criteria of a large number of plants per hectare and a lesser quantity of grapes produced for each vine, therefore obtaining a fundamental presupposition for quality. The harvesting is strictly done by hand and the grapes are transported to the cellar and crushed within one hour. The harvesting and the crushing of grapes are done separately for each vineyard. The cellar is supervised by wine maker Corrado Cugnasco and by cellar master Luca Ferrari. The crushing of grapes is done by applying a light force and from about 100 kilograms of grapes are obtained about 60-70 liters of must. The vinification cellar is equipped with thermo-controlled stainless steel tanks, therefore allowing the separate vinification of each vineyard.

 In one or two tanks is in fact kept the must of each vineyard, in order to allow a better control over the organoleptic qualities of each wine which will then become the cuvée of Bersi Serlini's Franciacorta. When base wines have reached the right time of aging, Bersi Serlini family, together with its technical staff, begins the tasting of each tanks, therefore making the different cuvée. Every cuvée, according to their organoleptic qualities, will be then used for the creation of the many Franciacorta styles. The base wine is then bottled - after having added natural yeasts and cane sugar - in order to start the refermentation process: the first step towards the creation of the elegant Franciacorta bubbles. Bottles are then kept in the cool underground cellars dated back to 1400s, at eight meters deep with a constant temperature from 13° to 15° C, where they will be allowed to age for many years. At the end of aging, the bottles undergo the remuage process, done by hand, followed by disgorgement, that at Bersi Serlini is done for six or seven times per year, producing each time about 25,000 bottles.

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