Cavalleri, Lombardy
Cavalleri's Brut sets the tone, not only in terms of house style but commitment to tradition and quality, the grapes all coming from DOCG Cru vineyards around Erbusco, the wine spending at least 24 months on its yeasts and including 20% reserve wines from older vintages. Elegant and sophisticated but with a depth of flavour and veiled power that makes considerable ageing possible, if you can just keep your hands off it long enough!
The Cavalleri estate
One wonders if the British wine-buying public's increasing interest in grower's Champagne (i.e. - confidence to experiment away from Les Grands Maisons) will spill over in to an appreciation of Italy's equivalently-impressive Franciacorta wines? Sampling Cavalleri's excellent metodo classico wines should undoubtably chivvy along any sceptics.