Bellavista Franciacorta Brut 2020

Franciacorta is often mentioned as the “Champagne of Italy,” but honestly, a bottle like this deserves its own pedestal.

This is a blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Nero, with about half of the base wine seeing time in small oak barrels. That wood isn’t there to give you oak flavor; it’s there to build the texture, giving the wine a creamy, expansive mouthfeel that balances a laser-focused acidity.

If you’re usually a Grower Champagne devotee, this is the bottle to cross the border for. It’s got all the complexity of the Aube with that distinct, sun-drenched Italian flare.