2016 Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Dosage Zero Vintage Col

2016 Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Dosage Zero Vintage Col

2016 Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Dosage Zero Vintage Col

Ca’ del Bosco is a sparkling wine producer in the Franciacorta DOCG of Lombardy. It is regarded as one of Italy’s best sparkling wine houses, and makes a wide range of wines made in the metodo classico (or méthode traditionnelle) style.

The Ca’ del Bosco portfolio is led by the duo of white and rosé Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Riserva wines, sourced from selected fruit from the company’s best vineyards. The fomer is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Noir, while the rosé is 100-percent Pinot Noir.

There are several vintage wines in brut, blanc-de-blanc and zero-dosage expressions, and the Cuvée Prestige Brut, which is also made from the classic Franciacorta blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Noir. This wine is also made in a rosé form.

Ca’ del Bosco also makes several still wines from a mix of Italian and French grape varieties including Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Nebbiolo. This includes the Curtefranca Rosso, the Sebino Rosso IGT Pinéro Pinot Nero, a Vino da Tavola Carmenère, and the Maurizio Zanella Sebino rosso IGT Bordeaux-style blend.

A barrel-fermented Chardonnay and a Curtefranca Bianco combining Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay complete the lineup.

The estate is made up of 184 hectares (455 acres) of vineyards. The grapes are hand-harvested into small boxes then manually sorted at the winery. The bunches are washed in special vats with air-bubble jets before being crushed and pressed in the absence of oxygen.

Depending on the wine, the first fermentation takes place in small oak barrels or in large wooden vats. The winery boasts extensive underground cellars to ensure maturation takes place in cool temperatures.

Ca’ del Bosco was founded when Annamaria Clementi moved to Erbusco (between Bergamo and Brescia), bought a small hillside house called Ca’del Bosc with two hectares (five acres) of land and planted vines. The first wine was produced in 1972.

The estate was developed and grown by her son, Maurizio Zanella. Although it was acquired in 994 by the Marzotto family’s Gruppo Zignano, Zanella still heads up Ca’ del Bosco and it continues to be managed independently.