Franciacorta is a small wine-producing area in Lombardy, northern Italy. It is famous for its high-quality sparkling wines, which are made very much in the image of Champagne. The Franciacorta wine region is located in the Brescia province, in the hills immediately south-east of the foot of Lake Iseo. Roughly square in shape, it stretches eastwards for 15 miles (25km) from the Oglio River (which flows out from the lake) until reaching the Mella River valley and the western suburbs of Brescia city.
Although relatively unknown in global terms, Franciacorta is widely regarded as Italy's finest sparkling wine. Due respect is still paid to the traditional and better-known classics Moscato d'Asti and Prosecco, but these lighter-hearted styles are aimed at straightforward enjoyment rather than complexity or finesse.
