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Bellavista makes Italy’s finest sparkling wines from its 200 hectares of vineyard situated in the western part of the Franciacorta zone in a natural amphitheatre. The glacial soil is full of stones, and provides the ideal environment for the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes used in the production of their Franciacorta. Bellavista, meaning ‘beautiful view’ in Italian, was founded by Vittorio Moretti in the early 1970s, with the first vintage produced in 1979. In 1981, he met a young winemaker, Mattia Vezzola and this partnership transformed Bellavista into Italy’s leading producer of quality sparkling wine.
-12% [SALE]
33.56£
It has a lively and persistent mousse with fine perlage. It is an attractive pale yellow in colour, with green reflections. Perfumes of white flowers and stone fruits, with subtle hints of vanilla, which follow through on to the palate. Fine, elegant yet rounded and beautifully balanced.
-13% [SALE]
22.58£
It has a lively and persistent mousse with fine perlage. It is an attractive pale yellow in colour, with green reflections. Perfumes of white flowers and stone fruits, with subtle hints of vanilla, which follow through on to the palate. Fine, elegant yet rounded and beautifully balanced.
-10% [SALE]
47.86£
This rosé is a delicate pink with persistent bubbles. The nose opens with intense white peach notes that mellow into wild strawberries, golden apple, rosehip and a hint of toast. On the palate, the wine is dry with well balanced, fresh acidity. An elegant background of blackcurrant and sweet almond flavours lingers on the finish.
-9% [SALE]
40.88£
This wine is deep straw yellow in colour, with youthful highlights. The nose is expressive with hints of ripe fruit, notably apricot and pineapple, alongside more floral notes of rose and geranium. It has an attractive and elegant vanilla note and a marked mineral vein. Displaying excellent balance and freshness on the palate, it has a long, juicy finish.
-10% [SALE]
98.71£
Bright yellow with shining and crystal-clear pale jade highlights. On the nose, floral hints of elderflower, peaches, exotic fruit and citrus, flint, white chocolate and pastries. These follow through to the palate, along with freshness, energy, minerality, saltiness and complexity. Explosive mouthfeel, with well-structured but extremely silky texture.
-13% [SALE]
43.33£
This wine is golden yellow in colour. On the nose, there are lifted perfumes of yellow apples, quince and ripe fruits with a hint of vanilla. On the palate, it is rich, creamy and elegant with a long finish.
-10% [SALE]
68.66£
It has a lively and persistent mousse with fine perlage. It is an attractive pale yellow in colour, with green reflections. Perfumes of white flowers and stone fruits, with subtle hints of vanilla, which follow through on to the palate. Fine, elegant yet rounded and beautifully balanced.
-10% [SALE]
46.55£
Straw yellow with a sage hue, this wine has fine, persistent and vibrant pearlescent bubbles. The complex bouquet has intense aromas of pink flowers, ripe citrus fruit and noisette. On the palate, the wine is elegant, refined and soft, with a creamy texture, freshness and balance that emphasise the excellent quality of the fruit. `Satèn` will age well for at least five years after the vintage.
The History of Bellavista Winery
When visionary Vittorio Moretti founded Bellavista in Franciacorta in 1977, he never imagined the region would someday be compared to the prestigious Champagne in France.
Today, Bellavista is a worthy ambassador for the famous Franciacorta DOCG, a leading source of Metodo Classico sparkling wine — one of the most esteemed appellations in Italy.
Let’s explore Bellavista’s cellars, wines, terroir and winemaking philosophy. Innovation and tradition become one at Bellavista, and you can taste it in its wines.
Magic is in the air in this Italian winery and knowing more about it pays off. The wine is good! Here’s what you need to know.
The Winery
Bellavista is an Italian wine producer on the Bellavista hill, at the foothills of the Alps. The winery tends 203 hectares of vines in the Franciacorta DOCG, the source of the grapes that become a varied range of sparkling wine.
Bellavista was founded in 1977, but it really took off after founder Vittorio Moretti met award-winning oenologist Mattia Vezzola. The team defined what would later be known as the Bellavista style — elegance, refinement and balance.
The team presses the grapes in an old-fashioned vertical press to ensure the purest grape juice or must. They produce around ninety base wines which become colours in the winemakers’ palette; some are even aged in oak barrels! Such an impressive wine library becomes the source of the winery’s vast catalogue, which we’ll explore in detail below.
Bellavista produces benchmark wines in Franciacorta, and the winery is a must-visit when in the area. Winery tours and tastings are available year-round with a reservation. It goes without saying, this will be the highlight of your trip to Northern Italy.
Let us explore Franciacorta’s hilly vineyards, temperate climate and centuries of vinous tradition. Bellavista might be doing everything right, but the terroir plays a vital role in the winery’s success.
The Terroir
People have been growing vines in Franciacorta for centuries, going back to the Middle Ages. The continental climate in the area offers vines cold winters and warm summers, allowing grape growers and winemakers to produce a wide variety of wine styles.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that the region became a sparkling wine specialist. Guido Belucchi produced the first sparklers in the area following the rigorous Champagne method. Others soon followed, which led to Vittorio Moretti founding Bellavista.
Franciacorta was the first DOC to specify that the wines needed to be made with the time-consuming and labour-intensive metodo classico. Here, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco are the only allowed varietals, and they ripen beautifully on the region’s rolling hills sheltered by the Alps.
For non-sparkling wines, the region has another DOC since 2008, Curtefranca, and winemakers often make both still and sparkling wines with the notorious family of Burgundian grapes.
Franciacorta’s complexity comes from extended lees ageing. Every bottle must spend at least eighteen months evolving in the wineries’ cellars before being disgorged and prepped for the market.
For vintage wines, it’s twenty-four months and stunning sixty months for Riserva wines. The longer the wine ages with the spent yeast, the more complex it becomes.
The Wine
Bellavista’s wine catalogue is vast. Perhaps the most faithful label to the winery’s style is Bellavista Grande Cuvée Alma Brut. The estate offers an Alma Rosato and an Alma Non Dosato as well.
Bellavista Pas Operé is a thing of beauty; it’s a 75% Chardonnay 25% Pinot Noir from fruit from the hillsides. Half of the wine ferments in oak, so the wine is rich and creamy.
The winery’s Saten is one of the most charming in their repertoire; Saten is a local term for sparkling wine made 100% with Chardonnay alla Blanc de Blancs. This golden beauty ages in oak casks for a brioche-scented delight.
Bellavista Nectar is another fantastic 100% Chardonnay, this time balanced by an attractive demi-sec sweetness. Again, oak spices and Malo-lactic creaminess give this speciality a rich body and a lengthy aftertaste.
The last Bellavista wine we’d like to feature is the Bellavista Vittorio Moretti. This Pinot-heavy sparkling wine is made with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Nero.
The grapes for this wine are always ripe and result in tropical fruit and citrus scents. The palate is bone-dry, though, and the acidity is tight. This is a food-friendly wine with great complexity.
Wine to Try
Bellavista Teatro alla Scala Brut
The winery makes this particular sparkling wine with 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Nero. The wine has a dry palate with 4.5 grams of residual sugar per litre and balancing acidity.
This special wine is an homage to the legendary temple of the Opera. 60% of the wine ages in oak, and the rest in stainless steel tanks. Of course, the wine then spends several months sur lie to gain richness and complexity.
Teatro alla Scala Brut is all about the fruit on the nose and the textural palate, which is both fruit-forward and mineral. This is one of the few vintage wines in Bellavista’s catalogue.
Food Pairings
Bellavista wines have great versatility at the table. Franciacorta, in general, is compatible with a wide variety of food thanks to its natural acidity, which balances the flavours in food.
The winery’s dryer styles are ideal for seafood pairings. Both white and oily fish can benefit from their radiance. On the other hand, the boldest expressions, those wines that spend extended periods in oak barrels, can tackle roasted poultry, creamy sauces and shellfish.
The sweetest sparkling wine from Bellavista’s cellar pairs well with fruit desserts, meringues, tarts, and other not overly sweet treats. There’s a Bellavista wine for every occasion.
Italy’s Premium Sparkling Wine
There’s no doubt Italian sparkling wine is better than ever; the quality is up there with the best sparklers globally, including those from top-notch appellations like Champagne.
Bellavista is one of the most prestigious estates in the area, and its curated wine selection offers something for everyone. Few estates have such a complete catalogue, with every wine representing one of the many wine styles of Franciacorta.
For spectacular Italian Sparkling wine or any sparkling wine, for that matter, Bellavista is a fantastic alternative. These wines are worthy of the most memorable occasions.