3. Franciacorta: Self-guided Wine Tour, Full-Day with lunch
The first stop, at about 10:30 AM, is a niche winery. The visit includes an introduction to the Franciacorta wine region, its history, and some facts about its development. The hospitality staff will explain to you the method of production (the same of the Champagne), showing you the journey of the grapes through the cellar. The guided visit is followed by the tasting of two Franciacorta DOCG wines. After this lovely tasting, take your car and reach a charming little trattoria or a cozy agriturismo. There you will enjoy a three courses lunch. The menu includes traditional dishes from the Franciacorta area such as manzo all’olio di Rovato, braised beef cooked slowly in olive oil served with polenta, or Clusane’s baked stuffed tench, or Franciacorta Risotto, or casoncelli (ravioli pasta stuffed with bread, cheese and meat). Water, coffee, and a glass of wine per person are included. With a short drive you will arrive at the third and last stop of you wine tour. At about 3:00 PM, you will have an appointment for a guided visit of an organic winery. There you will have the chance to discover the producer's philosophy and the features of the wonderful wines produced with by the organic vineyard management. At the end of the visit, you will taste three Franciacorta DOCG wines. Before driving back to your accommodations, you can take some time to have a lakeside walk in Iseo... and a gelato, why not? The itinerary could change according to availability.