Bubbles of a Different Kind    

Like so many other regions of Italy, Lombardy has seen its fair share of occupiers - from the plough of the ancient Gauls and the boots of the Roman war machine to the carnage of barbarian invasions and the iron-fisted rule of the French Crown, Lombardy has absorbed each and every group, adding a little of each to itself. If one thing has remained constant here throughout the ages, it is the tending of vines and the crafting of wine. The still wines of Lombardy, particularly of an area known as Franciacorta, have been enthusiastically coveted by such famous personalities as Virgil, Pliny the Elder, and Niccolo Machiavelli. Named for the curtes francae or fortified courts established throughout the region by the Carolingian dynasty of Charlemagne, Franciacorta sits on the southernmost shores of Lake Iseo. This is a land forged by the patience and power of ice. Rolling hills of gravelly and sandy soil cover a thick layer of limestone, the last remnants of an ancient seabed. Deep glacial lakes dot the region, acting as natural temperature regulators, keeping the days cool and the nights warm. In other words, this is the perfect place for growing grapes and producing impressive and unforgettable wines.  READ MORE>