Professor Michele Antonio Fino’s proposal for a “Grande Franciacorta” appellation to include the metodo classico produced in Lombardy is causing discussion. Awaiting Stefania Vinciguerra’s in-depth study, some considerations.
I confess that I understood little about it and I am waiting for the in-depth report that Stefania Vinciguerra is preparing and that will come out in a few days in DoctorWine. For the moment to say that there is some confusion is little.
The problem, if it can be called that, lies in a market analysis done by Professor Michael Anthony Fino who has in fact proposed a thesis that is provoking much discussion. Nothing wrong with that. Opinions, even authoritative ones as in this case, are meant to cause discussion.
Why the need of a Great Franciacorta
The question is more or less this. The Franciacorta also does not export enough because there is not enough production to deal with foreign markets. So, since the Oltrepò Pavese has not taken off as well as it could have in the sparkling wine business, let’s unite the areas under the name Franciacorta. Grande Franciacorta, to be exact. Along the lines of what was done with the Prosecco years ago and that worked, at least from a commercial standpoint.
It seems to me that this is not exactly the case but, again, I am waiting for the insights. If something like this were to be done, I believe that Oltrepò would in fact be colonized and that Franciacorta would still not have that hoped-for increase in production.
I remember that the Champagne, although at a critical stage today, is “pulled” in over 300 million bottles. Franciacorta wines reach, yes and no, one-fifteenth of that figure. Even adding the possible contribution of Oltrepò would not bring us anywhere near numbers comparable to those of Champagne. Another story was that of Prosecco, which today, between Doc and Docg, exceeds 600 million bottles.
Stefania Vinciguerra is conducting interviews with some of the people involved in this story, producers first and foremost, and I hope this will clarify the situation. For now, again, things do not seem clear to me.
