Tre Bicchieri 2022 Previews. The best wines of Lombardy

Tre Bicchieri in Lombardy

Lombardy hits the mark 30 times, aiming to boost its momentum as one of Italy's liveliest and most dynamic regions. This year was full of new developments, with 17 Tre Bicchieri made on the fine lees, rigorously refermented in the bottle—indeed, Lombardy is by far the first in Italy when it comes to the challenging Metodo Classico. It's a record, confirming a solid qualitative trajectory, made possible by cuvées that are exhibiting greater definition and depth, as well as increasingly precise territorial adherence. Starting from the shores of Lake Iseo, Franciacorta has grown with 11 award-winning wines: but the average overall quality is truly high, with annual production volumes exceeding 18 million bottles. We're also seeing, on the one hand, new varieties capable of resisting climate change that are being carefully studied, on the other, the share of Pinot Nero is slowly increasing—Dosaggio Zero wines have tripled. We cross the Ponte della Becca and find ourselves in Oltrepò Pavese, where peaks of true excellence are still little known to the general public. We are convinced that Italy's best Metodo Classico rosés are produced in Vecchio Piemonte (from Pinot Nero, obviously): there were 3 winners in this edition. Many producers who for years supplied their grapes to other producers have gone out on their own and now reached full maturity.

The best wines of Lombardy

We move to the Rhaetian Alps, in Valtellina, one of Italy's most fascinating districts and spectacular in terms of overall quality. We also tasted some highly elegant and expressive reds. There's also room for fairy tales, such as Botticino, the Bresciano appellation that, thanks to the Noventa family, is now known for more than just the splendor of its marble. Finally, we warmly greet this year's newcomers into the Tre Bicchieri club: Alessio Brandolini in Oltrepò Pavese, Corte Fusia in Franciacorta and Ca 'Lojera in Lugana. Then there are 2 newsworthy developments from Valtènesi: Sincette, with an auteur Groppello, and Pasini San Giovani, with their simply amazing Valtènesi Chiaretto. We close by mentioning the most prestigious of our special awards. This year we also celebrate the 60the anniversary of Franciacorta and the 90th birthday of its visionary pioneer. Happy Birthday Franco Ziliani!