Pleasures of Franciacorta.pdf

Bersi Serlini Family Refined sparkles within an extraordinary scenery
In the heart of Franciacorta, near the Iseo lake in a splendid site belonged to the monks of Cluny, the Bersi Serlini winery is involved since three generations to a passionate production of wine. The wine region of Franciacorta is placed between Milan and Verona: it is distinguished for tasting quality, richness of aromas and originality of production style. Our winery retains the synonym of quality united with history and tradition.
The story of Bersi Serlini winery begins in 1886, when the family acquired a property situated in Cerreto, an ancient site belonging to the monks of Cluny. A site rich in history and with a profound history of wine making. The first document mentioning the presence of the vine at Cerreto is dated back to 1489, in a parchment concerning the census in the lands of the Monastery of Saint Peter in Lamosa at Provaglio d'Iseo. Cerreto will change its property a few times in the course of its history, up to 1765, when it will pass under the control of private subjects and many families, until 1886, when it was finally acquired by the Bersi Serlini family. It is a site of peaceful preserved nature as most of our vineyards are mirrored over the lakes of the Regional Natural Reserve called Le Torbiere - Peaty Land - that creates an uncontaminated magical environment for the grapes to grow.
Today the Estate consists of 35 hectares of vineyards surrounding our heart consisting of the newly restored Reception - a space that crosses architectural boundaries between ancient and contemporary, where unforgettable events such as meetings, weddings, parties and celebrations take place - and the underground Cellars - where wines are produced and kept resting between 23 month to 6 years. Our two cellars lie on the ground beneath the soil where temperature is naturally cool and darkness sheds the production. A newly designed Production Cellar was created more recently by digging a hole of 12 meters beneath the vineyards and obtaining a plan of 1000 square meters. It is renewed with stainless steel tanks and vats, oak barrels and supplied with all the necessary equipment for the fermentation of the base wine of Franciacorta DOCG. The Aging Cellar was built in the early part of the century and extended in the 60's. It has a round and crossed vaulted roof and lies 5 meters underground mantaining a constant temperature 12°.
It is the most ideal environment for the long and patient ageing process of Franciacorta which is of 24 months for Brut and over 6/7 years for Vintage. The quality our wines derives from the exceptional Chardonnay grapes that grow in our vineyards and the unique combination of natural elements - geography, geology and climate- that constitutes its Terroir. We are tight between the Pianura Padana and the Pre-Alps. The cold mountain winds come down to the Iseo Lake and exchange with hot air of the Pianura Padana forming a highly freshened microclimate, fundamental for the grape's health.
Our vines are divided into 35 hectares of Chardonnay, 4 ha. of Pinot Bianco, 1 ha. of Pinot Nero, 2 ha. of respectively Cabernet Franc, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot. They are cultivated by the Guyot and Spurred cordon systems with 4300 / 5000 plants per hectare; 2 Kg of grapes and 2 square meters of leaves surface per plant, 10/12 gems per plant. These are necessary conditions to obtain the highest of quality. Our harvest is organized by hand as early as the first week of August, following the rules of the Franciacorta DOCG method. The choice to cultivate almost exclusively Chardonnay grapes is a Bersi Serlini fundamental step and a decision made to satisfy quality as opposed to quantity. Chardonnay grants a maximum level of elegance and delicacy to the sparkles, to challenge any important Blanc de Blanc.