L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano I talian excellence and style will be in the spotlight at the 74th e d i t i o n o f t h e Emmy® Awards. T h e T e l e v i s i o n A c a d e m y , organizer of the event which will be held on the 12th of September in Los Angeles, chose Franciacorta as the Official Sparkling Wine of the event. Not everyone knows that Franciacorta has an ancient s t o r y t h a t c o m e s f r o m a u n i q u e t e r r i t o r y , a p l a c e where wine has always been a great protagonist. The ter- ritory of Franciacorta, which e x t e n d s o n t h e s h o r e s of Lake Iseo, in the heart of Lombardy, is characterized b y a t y p e o f c u l t i v a t i o n , w h i c h h a s b e e n c o n s t a n t through the ages, from the R o m a n e r a t o t h e l a t e - a n c i e n t p e r i o d , u p t o t h e Middle Ages. Local climate has greatly facilitated the growth of vineyards through the centuries. H o w e v e r , F r a n c i a c o r t a does not only identify a terri- tory but also the wine and the production method typi- cal of the area, a method that r e s p o n d s t o s t r i c t a n d scrupulous standards aimed a t c e r t i f y i n g i t s a b s o l u t e quality. And while wine has been produced in the area since the 8th century, it became w e l l k n o w n o n l y i n 1 9 5 5 , w h e n o e n o l o g i s t F r a n c o Ziliani decided to bet on the climate and cultivation con- ditions of Franciacorta to create a sparkling wine with the traditional method, à la Champagne. He and wine- maker Guido Berlucchi teamed up and, in 1961, they had their first successful vin- tage. The success was such that the Franciacorta region obtained a DOC (denomina- tion of controlled origin) denomination a few years later, in 1967. Later, in 1995, Franciacorta became the first Italian wine produced with the "refermentation in the bottle" method to obtain a Controlled and Guaranteed D e s i g n a t i o n o f O r i g i n (DOCG). Today on the labels we read "Franciacorta," a single term that defines terri- tory, production method, and wine. In 2021, Francia- corta ended the year with a record sale, exceeding 20 million bottles. The guardian of the Fran- ciacorta method is its Con- sortium, which carries out a continuous activity of protec- tion, enhancement, and pro- motion of Franciacorta in Italy and in the world. We of L'Italo-Americano had the opportunity to interview its president, Silvano Bres- cianini. How did the partner- ship with the Television Academy for the Emmy ceremony come about? The partnership was born last year to narrate and pro- mote Franciacorta in such a prestigious context for both American and International entertainment, for an occa- sion that celebrates artistic and creative excellence. We are very proud to continue our collaboration also for this 74th edition. I s t h e c o l l a b o r a t i o n part of a larger project to conquer the US market? F r a n c i a c o r t a b e g a n t o communicate in a structured way in the USA in 2015 with a s t r a t e g y a i m e d , o n o n e hand, at training and educat- i n g t h e w i n e i n d u s t r y ( i m p o r t e r s , d i s t r i b u t o r s , s o m m e l i e r s , b u y e r s , F & B managers, sector press, etc ..) and, on the other, to cre- ate brand awareness in con- sumers, especially in those who are not only passionate about wine but also attentive to quality, style, and sustain- a b i l i t y . W e h a d t a r g e t e d events and media partner- ships, and we also participat- ed in exclusive events and digital projects. Although there is still a lot to do, today we can already see the first results of our work: we can find Franciacorta in the wine lists of the most prestigious Italian restaurants (and not only), on the shelves of wine bars, and in the most impor- t a n t e - c o m m e r c e s i t e s . There's also been a lot of interest from consumers and opinion makers, who have b e c o m e " s p o n t a n e o u s " ambassadors of Franciacorta in recent years. Certainly, the fact that the Television Acad- emy has chosen Franciacorta as a partner is an important r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e w o r k done. What are the sales / growth numbers in the US market? 2021 was a positive year for Franciacorta in the Unit- e d S t a t e s w i t h a b o u t 2 6 0 t h o u s a n d b o t t l e s s o l d ( + 7 1 . 7 % w h e n c o m p a r e d t o 2020; + 8.4% to 2019) and 2022 started in the best way w i t h a b o u t 1 3 8 t h o u s a n d bottles sold in the first half year (+ 25.4% when com- p a r e d t o t h e f i r s t h a l f o f 2021). In 2021, exports rep- resented 10.3% of sales and t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , w h i c h c o u n t s f o r 1 2 . 4 % o f t o t a l exports, is currently the sec- ond foreign market for Fran- c i a c o r t a ( t h e f i r s t b e i n g Switzerland). What are the charac- teristics of Franciacorta compared to prosecco and/or champagne? Prosecco has a totally dif- ferent production method w h i l e F r a n c i a c o r t a a n d Champagne share the "Clas- sic Method" of production, e v e n i f F r a n c i a c o r t a h a s m u c h m o r e r i g i d r u l e s . M o r e o v e r , t h e t w o h a v e t o t a l l y d i f f e r e n t t e r r o i r s ; Franciacorta is nestled in the pre-Alpine system, south of Lake Iseo, and despite being affected by a continental cli- mate, it benefits from the proximity of the lake, which has a mitigating effect on temperatures in both sum- mer and winter. Suffice it to say that the flora of Francia- c o r t a c a n b e t y p i c a l l y Mediterranean, with sponta- neous or easily cultivable botanical species such as the olive tree. The soil is also v e r y p a r t i c u l a r , r i c h i n morainic debris and stones of different shapes, nature and colors, which have been used over the centuries as building material for villas, farmhouses, and "broli," the characteristic stone walls that surround houses and vineyards. How did Franciacorta m a n a g e t o s t a n d o u t among other sparkling wines? In terms of consumption, Prosecco is an easy-to-drink wine, Champagne is the wine for special occasions, while Franciacorta is a versatile wine, suitable for the whole meal thanks to its different v a r i e t i e s , w h i c h c a n b e matched with all types of food, from great dishes of the Italian tradition to sushi and creative and contemporary cuisine. What has contributed t o F r a n c i a c o r t a ' s s u c- cess, especially abroad? Surely the quality of the product and the values asso- ciated with it: Italian style, elegance, biodiversity. Besides the one with the Emmys, what other c o l l a b o r a t i o n s a r e planned? Franciacorta is a partner of important global realities and brands that represent and celebrate excellence in different fields, with some solid collaborations that have been going on for many years such as the one with Milan Fashion Week, through the partnership with the Nation- al Chamber of Italian Fash- ion, and the one with 1000 Miglia - the most beautiful r a c e i n t h e w o r l d - a l e g - endary vintage car competi- tion. More recently, we part- nered with Michelin, Porsche - of which Franciacorta is a partner for both the Porsche Carrera Cup and the Porsche Experience Center created last year in Franciacorta - and the Giffoni Film Festival, of which Franciacorta is the Official Wine Partner. The Emmy Awards will toast with Italian wine Franciacorta SILVIA GIUDICI Celebrations at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards with Franciacorta (Photo courtesy of Television Academy) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

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