On September 17 and 18: Visit the Berlucchi winecellar and discover the taste of Iseo lake and of Franciacorta.
Everything is ready for the Festival Franciacorta, the vibrant cultural encounter that every late summer electrifies the southern shore of Lago d’Iseo. Berlucchi, the area’s pioneer producer, has designed two ultra-gourmet offerings which will excite even the most demanding wine-lovers.
The first, The Floating Piers Float On, conceptually continues Christo’s famed art installation on the lake. From 10.00am through 7.00pm, guests will enjoy guided tours of the historic cellar that witnessed, in 1961, the birth of the first bottle of Franciacorta; an expert guide will accompany them on an intriguing exploration among alcoves and galleries of the innermost secrets of Franciacorta production, along with fascinating glimpses into the history of the maison Berlucchi. At the conclusion of this adventure, guests will savour, and hear all about, a cornucopia of mouth-watering local specialties. They will be served three sumptuous selections in Berlucchi’s spacious tasting salon. A polenta bruschettina with a plump sardine and savoury salame from Monte Isola will help re-live last summer’s excitement of Christo’s The Floating Piers; crowning this pleasure will be a local Maniva della Valtrompia cheese. Accompanying them will be Berlucchi ’61 Satèn and Rosé, two utterly delicious Franciacortas, the first an elegant hymn to Chardonnay, the second a sensory symphony of Pinot Noir, both aged two years sur lie. Cost for this programme: € 20.00 per person.
The second choice exudes exclusivity right from its title: Eclettismo Nature, The Versatility of Nature. Designed for small groups, guests may reserve this programme on the two days of the Festival, at one time only, 11.30am. This guided visit of the venerable underground cellars concludes in the Salone del Camino (Fireplace Salon) of Palazzo Lana Berlucchi. In this ultra-refined ambiance, Winemaker Arturo Ziliani will guide a tasting of the new Millesimato Berlucchi ’61 Nature 2009. This impressively versatile vintage-dated Franciacorta will be paired with three exceptional culinary creations by Chef Stefano Cerveni of the Due Colombe restaurant, Franciacorta’s sole Michelin-starred establishment. In a rising crescendo of sensory delights, guests will discover—while Chef Cerveni describes–his Patata Viola, il Gambero Rosso e il Franciacorta (Purple Potato, Red Prawns, and Franciacorta Sauce), followed by Tinca al Forno 2016 (Baked Tench), and concluding with a flourish of Insalata di Pollo Bio, Sarde Essiccate di Monte Isola, Gelatina di Salsa Verde, and Pop-Corn di Pollo (Organic Chicken Salad, Monte Isola Sun-dried Sardines, Salsa Verde Aspic, and Chicken Popcorn). The self-confident yet elegant Millesimato will highlight the gamut of sensory nuances in the three creations, in an unforgettable kaleidoscope of fine taste. Cost for this programme: € 35.00 per person.
For visitors willing to stay in the region, Saturday 17 September guided tour and tasting will have as its nonpareil conclusion a dinner on the spectacular lakeside terrace of the Ristorante Bella Iseo. This refined venue, inside the celebrated Hotel Araba Fenice in Pilzone d’Iseo, offers a choice of two menus with a rich array of gourmet selections, culminating in a trio of lake fish or of meats. All the dishes are paired with Berlucchi Franciacortas, making for an evening of rare gourmet pleasure.
Info and reservation: +39 030 9822004, info@arabafenicehotel.it.