Satèn: the Silk of Franciacorta

Sparkling wine poured into a glass with creamy mousse, oysters beside

Franciacorta · Lombardy

Bubbles like silk

Many people tell us the same thing: “I like sparkling wine, but the bubbles are too aggressive for me.” For them there is a perfect answer, and it comes from Lombardy, between Brescia and Lake Iseo. It is called Satèn, and it exists only in Franciacorta.

What makes a Satèn

Every Franciacorta is made by the traditional method, with the second fermentation in the bottle. Satèn follows stricter rules that change its texture:

Only white grapes: Chardonnay, with Pinot Blanc allowed up to 50%. No Pinot Noir.
Lower pressure: a maximum of 5 atmospheres in the bottle, less than a normal sparkling wine. The bubbles are smaller and gentler.
Longer ageing: at least 24 months on the yeast, compared with 18 for a non-vintage Franciacorta.
Always Brut: dry, but never sharp.

The result is a wine with a creamy mousse that seems to melt on the tongue, aromas of white flowers, ripe peach, hazelnut and fresh bread, and a soft, round finish. The name itself suggests the feeling: satin.

Why the bubbles feel different

Lower pressure means less carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine. When you pour it, the foam is finer and settles quickly into a silky cream. In the mouth the wine does not “prick”: it caresses. This is why Satèn is often the bubble that converts people who do not normally drink sparkling wine.

At the table

The Franciacorta consortium suggests Satèn with seafood starters and shellfish, light vegetable risottos, pasta with fish or white meat, young cheeses, asparagus or radicchio risotto, sushi and roast chicken. At home we love it with a creamy risotto or simply with good bread and Parmigiano. Serve it at 8–10 °C in a tulip glass.

Our Satèn and a Blanc de Blancs

Discover the story of Ca' del Bosco, one of the houses that made Franciacorta famous, in our article Ca' del Bosco: The House That Shaped Franciacorta.