Berlucchi is the producer most directly responsible for establishing Franciacorta as a serious sparkling wine zone. When Franco Ziliani began working at Guido Berlucchi’s estate in Borgonato in the mid-1950s, Franciacorta produced only unremarkable red wines. The sparkling wine the two men made together — released in 1961 as the first commercially produced traditional-method wine from the region — created the template that the entire Franciacorta DOCG now follows.
Guido Berlucchi and Franco Ziliani
Guido Berlucchi was a Brescian landowner based at Palazzo Lana in Borgonato, producing a still white wine from Pinot grapes under the name Pinot del Castello. The wine had a persistent instability problem — once bottled, it tended to re-ferment and cloud. When Franco Ziliani joined the estate as winemaker in the mid-1950s, his proposed solution was unconventional: instead of suppressing the secondary fermentation, harness it. The result would be a sparkling wine made by the same method used in Champagne.
Ziliani had been interested in traditional-method sparkling wine since his training, and had long believed that the right terroir existed in northern Italy to produce something comparable to Champagne. The Franciacorta zone — morainic soils, cool lake breezes off Lake Iseo, a growing season that preserves natural acidity — matched what he was looking for. What it lacked was anyone willing to try.
The First Bottles: 1961
The experiment took several years of refinement. In 1961, the cellar released its first 3,000 bottles of Pinot di Franciacorta — a traditional-method sparkling wine made from Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco. The reception was immediate. The wine was compared favourably to Champagne, which had been the benchmark Ziliani was working toward, and demand outpaced what the estate could produce.
The rapid growth of the company through the 1960s and 1970s had wider consequences for the region. Other producers began making sparkling wine in Franciacorta using the same method. In 1961, there were no other producers; by the 1990s, Franciacorta had its own dedicated DOC and eventually DOCG classification, making it one of only three Italian sparkling wine zones entitled to use the term metodo classico without further qualification. Berlucchi’s early success is generally credited with creating the conditions for that development.
Berlucchi Today
The company is still headquartered at the Borgonato estate, now known as Palazzo Lana. It remains family-run and is one of the largest producers in Franciacorta by volume. The core range includes the Cuvée Storica — the wine meant to recall the original 1961 style, made from Pinot Nero with a small percentage of Chardonnay — alongside a full range of DOCG categories including non-vintage, Satèn, Rosé, and Vintage. The Palazzo Lana wines sit at the top of the range and are produced only in the best years.
The winery is open for guided visits and tastings from Monday to Friday, and on one weekend per month between April and September. Advance booking is required. Berlucchi is one of the larger and more visitor-accessible estates in the Franciacorta zone between Brescia and Lake Iseo.
Franciacorta and the Traditional Method
Berlucchi’s wine is made by the traditional method: after the primary fermentation, a mixture of wine, sugar, and yeast (the liqueur de tirage) is added before bottling to trigger a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The CO₂ produced has nowhere to escape and becomes dissolved in the wine as fine, persistent bubbles. The bottles rest on their sides for a minimum period — longer for vintage and prestige wines — then are gradually tilted and rotated (remuage) to collect the spent yeast sediment at the neck before it is removed by disgorgement.
Franciacorta DOCG requires a minimum of 18 months on the lees for non-vintage wines, 30 months for vintage, and 60 months for Riserva — requirements more stringent than Champagne’s non-vintage minimum of 15 months. The grape varieties used are Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and Pinot Bianco. For a fuller picture of the Franciacorta wine zone and the other producers working in the same tradition, the dedicated guide covers the region in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Berlucchi wine?
Berlucchi was founded through the collaboration of Guido Berlucchi, a Brescian landowner at Borgonato, and Franco Ziliani, the winemaker who joined the estate in the mid-1950s and proposed making traditional-method sparkling wine. Their first bottles — 3,000 of Pinot di Franciacorta — were released in 1961 and are credited with establishing Franciacorta as a sparkling wine region.
What is Berlucchi Cuvée Storica?
Cuvée Storica is Berlucchi’s reference wine, designed to recall the style of the original 1961 release. It is made primarily from Pinot Nero with a portion of Chardonnay, using the traditional method with secondary fermentation in bottle. It is the most widely distributed wine in the Berlucchi range and the one most associated with the winery’s history.
Can you visit the Berlucchi winery?
Yes. The Berlucchi estate at Palazzo Lana in Borgonato is open for guided visits and tastings Monday to Friday, and one weekend per month from April to September. Advance booking is required. The estate is in the Franciacorta wine zone, about 20 km from Brescia and reachable by car from the A4 motorway.
What is the difference between Berlucchi and Champagne?
Both are traditional-method sparkling wines — secondary fermentation in bottle, extended lees ageing — but they use different grape varieties and come from different terroirs. Berlucchi uses Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and Pinot Bianco from the glacial morainic soils of Franciacorta. Champagne uses Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier from the chalky soils of the Marne. Franciacorta DOCG requires longer lees ageing minimums than Champagne for non-vintage wines.
Is Berlucchi a Franciacorta wine?
Yes. Berlucchi is produced entirely in the Franciacorta DOCG zone in the province of Brescia, Lombardy. The estate at Borgonato, where the wine was first made in 1961, is still the company’s headquarters. Berlucchi is one of the largest producers in Franciacorta by volume and one of the first to achieve wide national distribution.
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