01/01/2012 - Scopri le proposte per trascorrere una giornata, un weekend o una vacanza in Franciacorta.
02/25/2012 - Apertura delle cantine, delle distillerie e degli artigiani del prodotto tipico nel weekend
Loc. Boschi, 3
25046 Calino di Cazzago S.M. (BS)
Italia
Tel. 0307751042
Fax. 0307756000
http://www.monogram-franciacorta.it
cantina@castelfaglia.it
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Where is the company »
Castel Faglia has made a veritable philosophy of producing Franciacorta wines that express their terroir to the full, using traditional winemaking techniques that respect the natural characteristics of the grapes.
The Castel Faglia estate is situated in the heart of the Franciacorta area, in Calino, within the municipality of Cazzago San Martino in the province of Brescia.
The Cavicchioli family, which owns the estate, has been growing and producing prestigious award-winning wines since 1928.
The estate is named after the castle of the former owner Colonel Umberto Faglia, which perches on a partially terraced vine-clad morainic outcrop at 300 metres above sea level. Exemplary aspect, stony soil and an ideal microclimate combine to create a unique terroir that produces distinctive fruit.
The climate is at once continental and temperate Mediterranean, which results in extreme temperature swings that often trigger violent hail storms during the summer months.
The grapes are generally harvested from mid August to early September. However, in particularly dry years, the harvest is brought forward to early August.
Rigorous grape selection is a major factor in Castel Faglia's wines. Exceptional grape quality is achieved by cultivating small garden-like plots in preference over large vineyards, which brings out very different aromatic characteristics.
The Castel Faglia vineyards span some 17 hectares and by regulation are planted exclusively with chardonnay, pinot bianco and a small percentage of pinot nero.
The grapes first undergo rigorous selection on the vine to eliminate less-than-perfect bunches and the healthy bunches are carefully hand-picked onto trays.
The grapes from each plot are crushed separately and alcoholic fermentation is started in small vats at a strictly controlled temperature to preserve the organoleptic qualities and character of the individual wines. At Castel Faglia the grapes are crushed according to very strict criteria as only the must obtained from a very soft, light first crushing produces the finest, most elegant wines.
After alcoholic fermentation, the wines are cellared by winemaker Sandro Cavicchioli, who goes to extremes to make sure they are stored fittingly, because the work of an entire year can be compromised during this delicate process.
The winemaker tastes and assesses samples from that year's entire production and assembles the various cuvées, which are then bottled.
At this point sugar and selected yeasts are added to the still wine, which is sealed in traditional classic method bottles. The bottles are laid horizontally in cool cellars, which in the case of Castel Faglia are dug into the hillside. During this phase, the second fermentation takes place to allow the wine to develop its trademark bubbles.
Bottle fermentation and ageing take over 18 months for the Brut, 24 months for the Satèn and Rosé, and several years for the reserve vintages, that is, the best cuvées, whose character develops over time.
At the end of this lengthy ageing period, the deposit that has formed in the bottles needs to be eliminated to achieve the brilliant clarity synonymous with Franciacorta wines.
The neck of the bottle is frozen so that the deposit, which collects in the neck during the riddling process (riddling consists in tilting the bottle downwards and rotating it slowly over a number of days), forms a plug that is ejected out of the bottle when it is unstoppered, leaving the wine beautifully limpid and clear.
At this point in the long process of making Franciacorta wines, the bottles are topped up – if necessary – with a carefully-measured dose of sugar and base wine, sealed with a mushroom-shaped cork held down with a wire muzzle and packaged.
Every bottle bears the seal of the Republic of Italy, which is endowed upon all members of the Corsorzio per la Tutela del Franciacorta, the umbrella organization that oversees the production of Franciacorta wines, by delegation from the chamber of commerce in Brescia, which issues the final certificate. The seal features the words "Franciacorta Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita", a unique alphanumeric code, the bottle volume and the "F" logo of the consortium, which provides a further guarantee as to the standard of quality control.
At the end of the packaging process, the boxed bottles are stored horizontally prior to distribution for a further period of ageing that varies according to the characteristics of the various products.
Only like this, after each cuvée has been lovingly nurtured, after dozens of tastings, after patiently waiting for time to do its job, our passion is rewarded as Castel Faglia's wonderful Franciacorta sparkling wines are born. We humbly dedicate the Monogram label to the most discerning lovers of Franciacorta wines..
