In the mid-1800s, a local merchant named Luigi Rossetti fell in love with the land around Monticelli Brusati and decided to turn a farmhouse into an elegant mansion and winery, thereby establishing Antica Fratta. By digging into the rocky hill behind the Villa, he built a beautiful wine cellar with four tunnels arranged in the form of a Greek cross to store his prized Franciacorta wines.
In 1979 the property was bought by Franco Ziliani of the Berlucchi family, who was charmed by the unique cellars and beautiful vineyards. Berlucchi was and is one of the major names in Franciacorta, but they wanted to expand into boutique production. The 1.7 kilometers of caves on the property stay at a constant 16°C with 60-70% relative humidity resulting in the perfect environment for aging sparkling wines. With Ziliani at its helm, Antica Fratta embraced the traditional method of producing high quality Franciacorta that is true to the terroir of Lombardia. Between 250,000 and 300,000 bottles are produced in a given year. All of the wines, with the exception of the entry level Brut, are vintage dated.
Lying to the south of Lake Iseo in the heart of Lombardy, Franciacorta is characterized by a cool climate mineral-rich, granular-sized, calcareous gravel and sandy moranic soils over a limestone bedrock, making it well suited to the French varietals of Champagne, such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Antica Fratta’s commitment to honoring the land is evident in the exceptional wines they produce, which truly embody the essence of Franciacorta.
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