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The origins of in the Italian Renaissance GABRIELE ARCHETTI Introduction by Kerin O’Keefe INTRODUCTION Silvano Brescianini President of Consorzio Franciacorta

“The cultivation of the vine represents a characteristic feature of the production of the Lombard territory called Franciacorta, where a viticultural crop specialized in hilly area is documented since the early Middle Ages. In particular the monastic and episcopal documentation allow us to identify also the grape varieties, white and red, which have been produced and sold since the very end of the XII century “. So writes Prof. Gabriele Archetti in “Vite e vino nel medioevo-Note storiche sul territorio bresciano”(Arti Edition of 2017), a document of great importance on the history of in Franciacorta.

The decision to involve Prof. Archetti in the realization of a synthesis - which you will find here with the precious introduction by our dear Friend Andrea Grignaffini - was born precisely from that book, and from the desire to mention and share the deep enological roots of our land, Franciacorta.

I thank Professor Archetti and Andrea Grignaffini because they enthusiastically welcomed this project following it with great professionalism and I thank the reader who will dedicate himself to the reading of this journey to discover Franciacorta in the Renaissance. Nature“ has given“ nothing more useful than wine to man

Girolamo Conforti “Libellus de vino mordaci” 1570 4 5 its successful efforts to distinguish itself from among the world’s traditionally-crafted, sparkling . I’ve been trying Franciacorta since I moved to years ago, and the changes that I’ve witnessed, especially in just the last decade alone, have been remarkable. Today there’s much more focus on choosing the best sites as well as a denomination-wide commitment to organic and organic wines. There’s also the FRANCIACORTA: extremely positive and growing trend of using less ROOTS AND REBIRTH dosage or even skipping it altogether. These combined Kerin O’Keefe factors have resulted in today’s focused, elegantly structured Franciacortas that express their distinctive If there’s a still secret jewel waiting growing zone. to be discovered by the international wine world, it’s Franciacorta from . A world-class, bottle- But far from being just a Modern Day success story, fermented sparkler (called Metodo the denomination is a descendent of a centuries- Classico in Italian), it boasts pedigree old tradition of viticulture geared toward quality and style. While well known in wine production. Italy, only a little more than 11% of Franciacorta’s annual production of 17.6 million bottles is currently Roots exported around the world. However, Franciacorta as we know it today is a relatively this number is destined to increase recent phenomenon, created between 1955 and as the denomination continues the early 1960s, when a young enologist named

6 7 Franco Ziliani boldly suggested the idea of of Franciacorta in the Italian Renaissance. making a Metodo Classico to aristocratic land Thanks to this book, we get a better understanding owner and wine producer Guido Berlucchi. of the unique growing area and how centuries Berlucchi accepted the challenge, and the two of paved the way for contemporary teamed up to make a sparkling Franciacorta. wine in what was then an area producing exclusively still table wines. After some trial and error, their first was 1961. The following year, Prof. Archetti cites documents from the Middle the dynamic duo made what is credited as Italy’s Ages that demonstrate the importance of wine first Metodo Classico Rosé. Their success caught production on local farming and on the Franciacorta the attention of other local growers and producers economy. Among the most significant are as well as outside investors, and eventually led to monastic documents from the influential women’s the creation of Franciacorta DOC (Denominazione abbey of Santa Giulia in Brescia hailing from di Origine Controllata) in 1967. This was followed the 8th and 9th centuries that identify the best by DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata vineyard sites of the Benedictine Monastery. e Garantita) recognition in 1995, when Franciacorta Situated between and Brescia, these became regulated under the strictest quality were directly controlled by the nuns. controls in Italy. Modern Day zoning studies, including soil analysis, have confirmed that the best sites today are those that were already identified by the monastic Despite being created in the 1960s, Franciacorta’s community hundreds of years ago. vinous roots, including a focus on making quality wine, are actually ancient, as Professor Gabriele Archetti, Professor of Medieval History By the 11th century, records show that grape- at Milan’s Sacred Heart Catholic University, vine cultivation was increasing significantly and points out in this new publication, The Origin expanding up to the hilly areas with better exposition.

8 9 The same records also indicate a focus on higher quality, specialized viticulture; an idea that was light-years ahead of its time when compared to the traditional coltura promiscua, or mixed cultivation of crops and viticulture that lasted well into the first half of the 20th century throughout Italy. Besides descriptions of preparing terrain for specialized vineyards, these archives further reveal, unsurprisingly, that grapes planted in the Middle Ages were pre-phylloxera varieties that were completely different from what is planted now in Franciacorta.

Prof. Archetti makes the case that there is some historical basis to affirm a tradition of producing effervescent, or to be more precise, ‘lively’ wines in the area as far back as the Middle Ages. Perhaps the best description of these wines is that they weren’t entirely still. And while they pre-dated bottle fermentation, these invigorating offerings were none-the-less the product of a specific wine making technique.

10 11 One historical publication that leads to this hypothesis is Libellus de vino mordaci that was published in 1570 by Girolamo Conforti, a physician from Brescia. As Archetti points out, Conforti wrote his treatise from a medical standpoint, not from an enological perspective. Conforti opened his essay by highly praising wine and underlying its importance in daily life by stating, “Nature has given man nothing more useful than wine.” However, the doctor also referred to the ‘biting’ young wines that while greatly appreciated by the people, were deemed ‘dangerous’ on the subject. One of the most important figures to one’s health by the medical standards of the day. in Renaissance agronomy and on viticulture, Gallo described in great detail a technique for making cisiolo, a local made from black-skinned While the Libellus seems on one hand, albeit with grapes that remained “fizzy” and “sweet” for months. a flexible interpretation, to be an affirmative answer According to Gallo, cisiolo was “appreciated on the to the question over whether there was a history tables of the Lombard aristocracy.” of making fizzy wines in Franciacorta centuries ago, the Professor surmises that the mordace wine described in Libellus was however “significantly The practice entailed immediately separating the different” when compared to today’s Franciacorta and must from the just-pressed grapes and letting to “any wine with bubbles”. them ‘boil’ or ferment for a brief period before being put into small barrels. The barrels were reinforced with iron bands and water-proofed Key works written by scholar Agostino Gallo with animal fat on the outside. To block the who had holdings around Brescia shed more light fermentation, the barrels were then submerged in

12 13 14 15 water or left at the bottom of a well before being These days, Franciacorta is often compared to brought to the cellars to rest. The result was a foaming, because the two wines use the same rather sweet wine that by all accounts was very much bottle-fermentation method and primary grape enjoyed. According to Gallo, this practice wasn’t new varieties. But the comparisons end there and today among Brescian farmers and this statement is backed the best Franciacortas have their own identity. up by archives dating from the 13th and The combination of avant-garde winemakers, their 14th centuries. wide-scale commitment to organic viticulture, an increased focus on reducing (and even eliminating) dosage and promising experiments with a recently It’s important to note that even though these revived native grape are yielding stunning, - ‘biting wines’ weren’t the bubbles we know today, driven sparklers. these reports represent what Archetti defines as “the first scientific codification of a non-still wine (even if not in a bottle)”. And that already in the Unique growing area Middle Ages, thanks to innovations in fermentation This relatively small area has historically been techniques, “a ‘fizzy’ wine was being created” in the called Franciacorta, a derivation of Curtes Francae, hills Franciacorta. referring to the zone’s tax-free trade status. Designating a stretch of land between Brescia and Lake Iseo, the name Franciacorta Even more importantly, Archetti’s research and first appeared in documents from 1266 and 1277 text disclose that there is a long, solid tradition of and today the denomination encompasses 19 inventive winemaking in Franciacorta, and that townships in Lombardy’s Brescia province. Retreating above all this small geographical area has long been glaciers created Franciacorta’s amphitheater- known for the quality of its wines. shaped growing zone and left behind mineral-rich soils of morainic origin. Bordering with Lake Iseo in the north, the rolling hills benefit from a

16 17 warm, almost Mediterranean microclimate tempered by cooling breezes that descend from foothills

Monte Isola of the Rhaetian further to the northeast.

Sulzano A Besides its vicinity to the lake, Franciacorta’s

Pilzone micro-climate is a result of winds originating LAGO D’ISEO from the nearby mountains. These strong breezes

Clusane ISEO bring fresh air at night, generating pronounced day and night temperature changes that encourage

Cremignane TORBIERE optimal grape ripening. The winds also helpkeep DEL M.Cognolo Gaina M.Alto Colombaro SEBINO Piano Fiume Timoline delle viti Foina grapes healthy, which assists the denomination’s CORTE Brione B FRANCA PROVAGLIO Nigoline D’ISEO MONTICELLI Bonomelli Provezze BRUSATI producers who practice organic viticulture. Organic

MILANO A4 MILANO VENEZIA farming in the area began in 1998, when the Barone OME Borgonato ADROADRO Pizzini firm switched to organic viticulture and for PALAZZOLO Camignone San Pancrazio Torbiato Monterotondo years this was Franciacorta’s only organic .

Navezze RODENGO Fast-forward to today and nearly 70% of the Zocco SAIANO A4 Padergnone Ronco Stella denomination’s vineyards are either certified organic Palazzolo Bornato Sull’Oglio Calino Villa Pedergnano PADERNO or in the conversion process. La Costa C CAZZAGO FRANCIACORTA M.OrfanoM.Orfano SAN MARTINO Barco

ROVATO

COCCAGLIO BRESCIA Franciacorta boasts rich fruit flavors, a result of the

Ospitaletto Mandolossa overall balmy climate, while loose, Morainic soils ensure

A4 D MILANO Franciacorta is never too high in alcohol. Though they VENEZIA

Chiari VENEZIA offer great freshness, they don’t have the aggressive 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 acidity of many sparklers hailing from cooler climates.

18 19 Like wine producers across the globe, Franciacorta’s growers and winemakers are noticing the effects of climate change, with warmer, drier summers pushing acidity levels lower. Vineyard management is crucial, especially working the soil to encourage roots to reach further down to water and nutrients far below the surface. Managing the leaf canopy to protect grapes from sunburn and encourage optimal photosynthesis is also fundamental. Experiments with a recently revived native grape, Erbamat, is also showing promise in raising acidity levels. imparts fruit, elegance and richness. Thanks to the growing zone’s microclimate, Chardonnay delivers juicy, yellow stone fruit Grapes flavors that become more tropical in warmer years. Chardonnay is the undisputed Queen of Franciacorta It’s the main grape in most Franciacortas but plays – accounting for over 80% of the 3,101 ha the major role in Satèn, the soft, creamy sparkler (7,662 acres) of the denomination’s vineyards – made only with white grapes and lower bottle followed by Pinot Nero (15%) and Pinot Bianco pressure. A registered trademark of Franciacorta, (5%). A number of producers are investing most producers use exclusively Chardonnay for Satèn in Erbamat, a rare grape native to the Brescia area, although a few also blend with a little Pinot Bianco. that’s showing promising results in raising acidity Pinot Nero on the other hand lends the wines levels, which is becoming increasingly important as structure, depth and personality. A number of higher summer temperatures and drought become are increasing their Pinot Nero plantings more common across the globe. but since it’s a fickle, sensitive grape, it can only be cultivated in select areas that offer just the right growing conditions.

20 21 Most producers have eliminated Pinot Bianco. Some say it’s too difficult to cultivate while others maintain it’s too neutral, but a few of my favorite Franciacortas have Pinot Bianco in the blend. In its best expressions, Pinot Bianco lends floral aromas and citrusy notes that can intensify Franciacorta’s finesse.

As part of a campaign to forge its own identity and to combat the effects of climate change, the Consorzio and several producers have been jointly experimenting with native grape Erbamat, which was already cited by Agostino Gallo in his Renaissance writings under its name back then, Albamatte. In contrast to early ripening varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco, Erbamat is a late ripening variety, with higher acidity levels. A few years ago I had a fascinating tasting of several experimental sparklers made with varying amounts of Erbamat and they revealed added vibrancy and intriguingly focused mineral sensations. Starting with the 2017 vintage, up to 10% Erbamat can be used. Unfortunately, the devastating frosts of April 2017 damaged many of the young plants,

22 23 but producers haven’t been deterred and more per liter of sugar, but most producers keep levels plantings and clonal research are well underway. far below, around 7 grams, with some even lower. One of the most compelling movements in the denomination is the increasing number of Dosage Styles Zero bottlings. Thanks to the area’s favorable growing Franciacorta comes in several categories. While Satèn conditions, grapes usually reach ideal maturation is made with only white grapes and rosé must have a that makes relying on dosage for added optional but minimum of 35% Pinot Nero, the different versions necessary. The array of names for this style, including are determined by how much time the wine stays on Pas Dosé, Dosaggio Zero and Nature may be a bit its lees during secondary bottle fermentation. The confusing, but the best are bone-dry, with an almost non-vintage Franciacorta must spend a minimum of knife-like precision. Boasting structure and finesse, 18 months on the lees, Satèn and Rosé at least 24 they’re loaded with energy, flavor and character, months, vintage wines a minimum of 30 months featuring pristine fruit and savory mineral notes. while Riservas at least 60 months. Vibrant, non- vintage Franciacorta is the quintessential bottling, Of all the different versions, Dosaggio Zero is the perfect for an aperitivo while vintage bottlings purest expressions of Franciacorta’s terroir. and especially the Riservas, boast complexity and longevity. Kerin O’Keefe

Dosage Franciacorta’s different styles also depend on their dosage – the mix of base wine and sugar – added after disgorging. Zero Dosage is the driest while Demi-sec is the sweetest. Brut – the most common and versatile of the range – allows for up to 12 grams

24 25 Kerin O’Keefe is an award-winning author and wine critic. Born and raised north of Boston, she graduated with honors from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst where she earned a degree in English literature.

Shortly after graduating, she moved to Italy where she became a certified . She began writing about in the early 2000s and has been the Italian Editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine since April 2013. Before this, she wrote regularly on Italian wine for and World of Fine Wine and was a Contributing Editor for Wine News Magazine from 2003 until 2009.

She is the author of three books: Franco Biondi Santi, Il gentleman del Brunello (2004, Veronelli Editore. She also penned the English version in 2005.), Brunello di Montalcino – Understanding and Appreciating One of Italy’s Greatest Wines (University of California Press, 2012) and Barolo and Barbaresco – The King and Queen of Italian Wine (University of California Press, 2014).

O’Keefe has won several awards for her work: her book on Franco Biondi Santi, The Gentleman of Brunello is a recipient of a Gourmand Wine Books Award. In 2008 she was awarded the Premio Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino for her cover article “Brunello de-con- structed” in the Oct-Nov 2007 issue of The Wine News and in 2016 she won the Premio for her article, Collio’s Crown Jewels, published in the April issue of Wine Enthusiast. She was named Honorary Knight by the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba in 2017. In 2019, she became the first Voice of Barbaresco.

26 27 28 29 Wine makes“ the heart“ of man happy

From the book of Psalms Pslam 104,15 “Bible” FRANCIACORTA: FROM THE LAND TO WINE

With the onset of the 20th century, these studies began increasing their reach into ecclesiastical institutions through the launch of research on deaneries, parishes, religious foundations, and more specifically, on larger monasteries.

Because of this new area of focus, especially across the extensive cloisters and in the Benedictine Abbeys such as Santa Giulia Within the region of Franciacorta, of Brescia and the Cluniac Priories, there was particularly within the second a decision to concentrate on the origins half of the 19th century, historical of the Franciacorta area, as its boundaries and scholarly contributions increased seemed to be closely linked to current politics significantly with a large focus on the and medieval society. territory’s roots and culture in an effort to create a sense of national unity.

W32 33 A renewed interest in this territory arose Paratico, Passirano, Provaglio d’Iseo, again toward the end of the 1960s, thanks Rodengo-Saiano and Rovato. The other towns in to the influx of Transalpine “nouvelle histoire” the area were excluded because, due to historic and the attention on regional municipalism and political-administrative traditions along with which continued to gain hold in the definition geographic placement, they had played a role not only of this new national Italian profile. In 1967, in the medieval ages but also in the modern age. this attention, from an economic-productive point of view, solidified in the ministerial decree which then became the Guidelines This was, without question, not the first time for the Production of Controlled and Guaranteed that the region had been divided internally. Denomination Wines under the “Franciacorta” The first use of the Franciacorta name in the name. It was herein, the historical and geographic archival papers, are, though not before boundaries of the region, that the concept of the 13th century, enough proof to dismiss Franciacorta evolved and took on a new institutional the fantastical hypotheses that attempt to assign it and regulatory connotation, surpassing historical with an even older ancestry. What remains is one attribution, and became part of the collective section of a territory that is partly different from consciousness. its current status. In fact, it was not the Monastic “French Courts” that created the political backdrop, but rather the relationships between the cities and the Because of this evolution, the term “Franciacorta” rural areas. began to identify not just that area to the west of the bordered by the and Oglio rivers, by Lake Iseo and by the Morainal The oldest documents that include the word Alpine foothills to the north and the high Padana Franciacorta are a procedural document dated to Plains and Mount Orfano to the south, but even somewhere around 1266 and a clause from the more so it was a list of the towns included Statutes of Brescia dated 1277 which records under the vinicultural guidelines. a situation that occurred a few years prior. Various The following towns were included within rural communities, located beyond the Mella river the governmental outline: , Capriolo, heading toward Lake Iseo, were ordered to repair , Cellatica, , the Mandolossa Canal “for their use [that is, by the Cologne, , Erbusco, Gussago, Iseo, town and citizens of Brescia] and for all the friends , Ome, , of Francia Curta as listed below.” The provisions

34 35 were repeated by a subsequent civil statutory order Subsequently, with the assignment of Emperor dated 1280, found in the city’s Liber potheris of the Federico Barbarossa’s autonomy over those towns 13th century, where the refacing and maintenance along the , the city was authorized to of the Crotte Bridge over the Mella river, during extend its jurisdiction into the surrounding territory, winter, were assigned to those towns located along the that is, into the ancient comitatus or county. It was Pedemontanara Roadway that ledfrom the outer city during this time and within the same economic- limits to the Valcamonica in exchange for significant administrative and socio-political context, that the tax exemptions. region of Franciacorta was created, along with its initial territorial boundaries.

This means that in the 13th century, the region of Franciacorta included those towns These boundaries were established to ensure that the along the strata nova heading to Iseo which, city would have supplies of raw materials from the from the western border with Brescia, ran alongside valley (iron, partially worked goods, wood, animals, the lake and continued toward Valcamonica, wool, dairy products, etc.), safety for merchandise and beginning from Collebeato and Urago people traveling in the area, and the maintenance of and ending up at Iseo and Zone. This was in line travel routes, including the bridge over the Mella river with the urban expansion policies of the area which allowed access into the city from the direction following the Peace of Constance (1183). of Sebino. While these boundaries responded to the

36 37 demands of urban supplies, which were different These boundaries continued to exclude the Sebino from today’s demands, other decisions were made by area and the shared valleys, which were considered political authorities outside of the Brescia area and the foundations of the “separated lands,” were determined by the changing needs of territorial such as the pianura, and no longer applied the control. These other decisions came about when, economic-commercial context which had originally still during the middle ages, the Viscounts of Milan been assigned to the city of Brescia. enlarged their reign over Brescia during the first half of the and divided the occupied territory into new administrative and fiscal districts. Without unityor a political center, Franciacorta continued autonomously across the centuries, even though These intermediary jurisdictional districts, so called a Venetian source indicated that in the “quads,” included numerous minor residential 15th century, the only possible centers or rural communities, leaving the immediate “caput Francecurte” was surrounding areas of Lake Iseo, the pianura and the in the town of Rovato. mountains, to themselves. Because of these divisions, Franciacorta was included within the “quads” of Gussago and Rovato. The towns of these same names acted as district capitals, though they never had a single geographic, administrative or political center of reference. After 1426, when the Republic of Venice, the Serenissima, took over control of Brescia from Milan, it continued this division and maintained it until its dissolution in 1797. It was during this renewed organization that the two initial “quads” were joined by the Palazzolo quad, which created the boundariesusing the Brescia border against those of the border, along the Oglio river.

38 39 makes it impossible to understand how it was AN ANCIENT cultivated, the extension of what was cultivated, the vineyard varieties, wine diversity and, obviously, VINICULTURE consumption. It is easy to note, though, how a large part of the historic summaries associated with Among agricultural crops, vineyards take on a antiquity, as seen in tourist guides, presented in central role in the farming culture of the Lombardy the numerous “histories” of wine (even those of area so much so, that from the beginning higher levels), or by any of the websites specifically of the middle ages it characterizes associated with the territory, especially commercial the Franciacorta economy. The vine remains websites, do not venture far from generic or a constant from prehistoric times, as seen anecdotal type musings. in the fossil findings of vinifera. Still, the absence of other documents In contrast, research over the last few decades has shed light on significant findings regarding the medieval period, that when compared to the

A40 41 Italian and European ampelography, they outline from the first few years of the 10th century, the very different developments of the area. The most quantity of wine obtained in the dominicum was important new information came, first, from greater than the amount produced across all monastic documents. These were especially found of the other Dominican monastic holdings spread in those of the powerful women’s abbey of Santa throughout Italy. These specialized production units Giulia of Brescia where records between the 8th were located in Brazago (the urban areas beyond and 9th centuries identify the best vineyards of the Mella river), Griliano (the hills of Gussago), the Benedictine Monastery along the slopes of the Timoline (Corte Franca), Canelle (Erbusco), Morainal hills which run from Lake Iseo to the Borgonato (Corte Franca), Iseo, gateways of Brescia. and Cellatica.

These were vineyards located inside the curtes These farmlands and vineyard plantings, already (holdings), that is, very extensive agricultural lands much earlier than the year 1000, had been where vines were among the most prevalent crops established in areas where vineyard cultivation and strongly concentrated in those areas that were was plentiful, finding significant confirmation under direct control of the nuns. In the detailed in recent years through zoning studies conducted asset inventory noted as “polittico”, a parchment by agronomists and geologists. A comparison scroll measuring various meters in length dating of soil analysis with archival data found that

42 43 the best sites for vineyards coincided with those (Badia), but also those already in place (Santa Giulia worked by the Benedictine Colonies. This means di Brescia, San Benedetto di Leno, San Faustino that direct empirical experimentation favored Maggiore or San Cosma e Damiano di Brescia), as the acquisition of necessary informational well as Episcopalian and lay people, offer an accurate competencies to increase the productive outline of this farming practice. potential of the various terrains A mapping allowed tracking of the incredible range and identification of the most suitable cultural sites. of viticulture and a recording of the financial value. It suffices to remember that the funds raised from duties associated with wine were the second item, This does not mean that vineyards were not after grains, listed as income in the city’s financial spread elsewhere, but rather that in these zones, statement. identified also in large part within the Guidelines of 1967, written documentation confirms the continuity of a cultivation over centuries It was during this process that the terms ronco that rarely finds such ancient and uninterrupted and roncare take on a technical meaning to indicate historical records. a forested or unfarmed area which has been tilled for planting as a vineyard and its presence in the archival documents becomes synonymous with With the economic renewal of the 11th century “vineyard terrain,” or rather “vineyard”. This was and subsequent demographic development, always a financially advantageous investment vineyards underwent strong growth. At the same because, among the various crops, the vineyard was time, vineyard expansion into the Pedemontana always considered to be the highest earner. area, especially in those better exposed hilly areas, was focused on an early production focused at a higher level compared to the traditional mixed viticulture.

The economic-patrimonial sources associated with the Cenobitic foundations, the new ones arising from Cluny (Rodengo, Cazzago, Provaglio, , del lago, etc.) and from Vallombrosa

44 45 From 1170 – 1180, new vines were introduced from the Balkan and eastern regions, differing from the local native varieties. This is first due to the schiava, and then due to the groppello, which were soon after joined by luglienga, vernaccia, , marzemino and then malvasia, moscatello and so on.

under specialized cultivation. The local topography These were pre-Phylloxera varieties which are not confirms the wide-spread extension of tilling and easily traced or comparable to today’s varieties. the name of the vines accounts for the farming of The information gathered is largely confirmed specialized crops that were very profitable. both in the documentation from secular aristocracy as well as in the ecclesiastical archives, not to mention documents from larger noble Justification of this development, at times families,city halls, episcopate, town centers imposing and unorganized, came and monastic and religious foundations. from growing market demands linked to the increase in civil needs based on demographic growth. The larger pioneering in varietal findings involves, The hilly areas surrounding the schiava vines and the nostrano production, the city at this point underwent that is, a fermentation done with different grapes, such cultural pressure thatthe that is from albi and vermigli vines, reds and whites, spread of the “ronco” or which better responded to the era’s demands, “ronchi” toponym is still especially in terms of quantity rather than applicable today. quality, and were adapted to handle years of irregular production.

The parchments from the Rodengo priory, for example, track the progression of taking over forested lands to till them for planting new vineyards

46 47 This piece-meal distribution was productive up until The quality of the terrain, too, in its sun-drenched the present day, with just a few setbacks, and only hills, the fields protected by the flanks since the end of the 19th century in those less of Mount Orfano against the cold and humid suitable areas, due to the decrease in demographic winds that came off the plains, the soil conditions, pressure. and the microclimate supported by the lake, all of which combined uniquely that resulted in the success of viticulture in Franciacorta. Franciacorta’s cultural specialization can be found in the multiple and voluminous documental data that make it impossible to create a defined list: from Adro to Borgonato, from Erbusco to Rodengo, from Monticelli to Paratico, from Rovato to Timoline, to Bornato, Calino, Cazzago, Camignone, Iseo, Provaglio, Passirano, Paderno, Saiano, Ome, Gussago, Coccaglio, Cologne, etc., the entire middle ages represents the complete blossoming of a cultivation that continues to be a unique section of the entire territory.

In Franciacorta it wasn’t just vineyards that were cultivated; in fact, vineyards were raised almost everywhere, but its cultivation was specialized, and the varieties were focused, compared to the rest of the surrounding countryside.

48 49 kept pace, or rather was even encouraged, by viticultural developments over the last half century, echoing what had already been written WINE ACCORDING by Isean patriot and author Gabriele Rosa TO CONFORTI (1812-1897) in the middle 1800s: “No visitor to the most beautiful and gracious areas of upper Italy, none of the oenophiles of this part of our bel paese, [beautiful country] can ignore the name and location of Franciacorta,” This naturally privileged region, which has never failed, where, “the greatest finding, without question, led over the last few decades, to a rediscovery of the is the wines which are made excellently Libellus de vino mordaci, a 16th century treatise and darkly, and whites and fresh that from Brescian physician and scholar Girolamo Conforti we call young and sweet”. (1519-1595) and was printed in Brescia in 1570 by Tommaso Bozzola. The interest in the treatise has Therefore, the cultural roots of these productions are deep and justified in the history of cenobiums, parishes, castles and of medieval towns, surrounded by well cultivated vineyards

T50 51 and high-quality vines, as detailed above. In considering the success of the “Franciacorta,” however, it seems appropriate to ask whether there has ever been a production of “bubbly,” “young” or “biting” wine, however long ago and different, but that may foreshadow today’s wine. The findings in the ancient Conforti document seem to be an affirmative response, even if the contents of his work seem to be true only partially. In fact, production of this type of wine has historic evidence and the consumption of wine was already highly regarded across the Brescia countryside back in the middle ages. At the same time, it is more complex to consider that the medical-health reasons outlined by the Brescian scholar regarding the quality of the “biting” wine, although greatly appreciated by the people even in those times, were deemed by the medical establishment to be “extremely dangerous and toxic” to one’s health. A degree of interpretation is needed here, so as to avoid misunderstanding the statements made by this doctor from Brescia.

“Nature has given man nothing more useful than wine.” These are the encouraging words of timeless knowledge and classical agronomy that open the Libellus de vino mordaci treatise by Girolamo Conforti,

52 53 54 55 an important statement that explains the value of the fermented grape during the late Renaissance whose use, on the coattails of ancient and medieval convictions, went far beyond the primary function of the beverage. Wine, in effect, was considered no less than a consumable that could not be substituted in nutrition, a tonic and restorative for growth, a disinfectant and relief in pharmacopoeia, a means for relaxation and socializing, and, thanks to its inebriating qualities, an instrument when life is overwhelming. If one thinks, then, that drinking wine is healthier than drinking water, due to its alcoholic fermentation and that its use was wide-spread across all ages from infancy to the elderly, it can be understood how the subject of wine has always attracted the attention of cultured people, of those in the sciences and agronomy, including researchers in medical areas.

To understand the content of the Libellus, the theoretical principles and evaluation criteria used in antiquity must be taken into consideration, along with the understanding that the view of wine and other foods was, in part, different from ours, even though taste and color were and still are, real parameters

56 57 of reference used for assigning productive and commercial classifications. The Aristotelian physics vision of the nature and its mechanisms were applicable here. Without this theoretical basis, Conforti’s arguments and evaluations that go beyond the properties and qualities of the wines can, at the most, appear “curious,” but they remain for example, a season marked by dry heat, completely incomprehensible and abstruse. it was preferable to consume foods and drinks that Beginning with the pre-Socratic philosophers, offered opposing humoral characteristics, that is, the composition of the cosmos things that were cold and wet. and materials was based on the theory This way, it would allow the body to reach, of the four elements (earth, water, as much as possible, a “temperate” status, air and fire) and in turn was modulated that is balanced, in response to the according to the four qualities combination of the various elements. (dry, humid,cold and hot). In the winter, on the other hand, At the same time, the four humors, a person was to focus on foods or body fluids (black bile, yellow bile, that were warm, to correct phlegm, blood), influence human health one’s naturally cold status. and temperament, based on the excess And during the or absence of them in the body. intermediate seasons, Over the centuries, these convictions or during other permeated habits and daily living, phases of the year, deeply affecting the style and practice the same way of behavior across all social strata. as in life itself, one was to tend Based on this cosmological quaternity, toward temperate the composition of nature was also modulated. nutrition, distancing It applied to the organization of both from excesses and balancing animate and inanimate objects, the four seasons the components. of the year, the various phases of existence, These general guidelines directed the four virtues, and so on. In the summer, the dietary rules prior to Conforti’s time.

58 59 They were applied by physicians and largely The awareness of this, from a medical point followed even at the popular level, as confirmed of view, does not indicate only properly by the success and distribution of the regimina conducting an analysis of the product, and tacuina sanitatis. but even more so, identifying that which may be more or less suitable for the health It was at the University of Padova, an academy of the patient based on his or her and research center for physicians from personal constitution. across , where Conforti perfected his awareness of Aristotelean physics, These brief observations lead to the idea as applied to medicine, thanks to the brilliant that mordace wine, as described in the Libellus, teachings of professors such as Girolamo was significantly different from what is grown Mercuriale (1530-1606) and especially in Franciacorta or really any wine with bubbles. Vincenzo Maggi (1498-1564). As such, it is not possible to track a direct In particular, he realized that the reality foreshadowing of the production of natureis revealed through the senses, of effervescent wines that are available and that the two fundamental principles on today’s market. of recognition are “hot” and “cold.” Interest in the “bitingness” of Conforti’s The first creates a dilating action, making things fermentations began from a point of view lighter and putting them into movement. that differed from our oenological one, The second produces condensation, making and his vision of nature and medical focus things heavy and contributing to their stagnation. was different too. What was important to him The sun is, in its totality, hot, and the earth is cold. was not how to achieve a , But the sun, like everything that burns, but whether the sparkling wine would be is not just heat, and in the same way, beneficial or damaging to human health the earth cannot exclusively be considered cold. based on its properties. The negative conclusion Hot and cold are physical realities and demand that he reached, then, is the result of his solid material elements to which they can attach, medical-scientific presumptions and initial and their varying combinations create philosophies, lacking any absolute value. the foundations of things along with This explains how experimental studies, their humoral constitution. and later improved knowledge, The difference in wines, therefore, arises from lead to evaluating these fermentations the changing aggregation of elements and qualities. in a completely different manner.

60 61 It would therefore be in error to deem It is no coincidence, then, that the treatise his opposition to a spicy wine as a negation can be viewed in light with what of the value in “sparkly” wines and the in the agronomy field was being done possibility of using them for consumption. by other Brescian scholars, such as Obviously, this was rejected by the market Agostino Gallo (1499-1570) or Camillo and by consumers. All the same, comparing Tarello (1513-1573), who were also his to the other agronomy treatises of great notoriety and intelligence. of the same era, the text is, undoubtedly, of great interest. Conforti’s reflections can be inserted, Firstly, because it confirms the attention then, into a scientific-cultural humus that was aimed at mordaci fermentations of significant intellectual vivacity, during the Renaissance period, open to experimentation and the and secondly because sparkling wines technically innovative empirical found space, for the first time, trials in the field of vinification. in a medical-dietary document, confirming how its importance actually grew even in the health sector.

62 63 THE CONTRIBUTIONS This is an indispensable factor to understand his oenological thought process. It made him a point OF AGOSTINO GALLO of reference and, among the greatest European authors of treatises on agronomy, he was able to Among the major players in Renaissance influence the entire agronomic system, following agronomy, working from his Brescian pianura the lead of the late medieval Pier de’ Crescenzi holdings of , Borgo (1233-1320) of Bologna. This is evidenced and , Agostino Gallo knew how by the later printings of his works, in fact sixteen to marry the principles of traditional of them in the 1500s, and their reception agronomy with the more advanced in France, where only very few foreign texts forms of experimental irrigated were ever translated, thanks to the accurate agriculture in the Val Padana. and multiple edited versions of the work done by François de Belleforest (1530-1583). It was Le dieci giornate della vera agricoltura, e piaceri della villa, [The ten days of true agriculture and the pleasures of the villa]

A64 65 appearing in Brescia in 1564 by the printer There are many themes associated with Giovanni Battista Bozzola that made “true cultivation” by Brescian farmers. Gallo a celebrity. This document outlines They range from the type of pianura the activities of an agrarian holding and mountain fields to the rotation systems, in a dialogical manner, separating them from the farmer’s work to farming practices into distinct work “days” along with (plowing, harrowing, seeding, haying, threshing, the benefits of living in the country. picking, harvesting, pruning, tilling, hoeing, etc.), from raising dairy products to cereals and grains The immediate success of the text brought to forage plants, from corn to rice, from silk the work to a new edition and a revision which, worms to Garda citrus fields, from olive groves for editorial reasons, was initially extended into to vineyards, from managing orchards a thirteen days, Tredici giornate (Venice 1566), nd gardens to rural buildings and so on. and the second edition was integrated with In the 1564 edition, the third day is entirely an appendix of seven days (Venice 1569). dedicated to vineyard practices and the varieties It was then distributed to printers in of grapes. It begins withthe botanical a completely revised version in 1572 under description of the vine and its fruits, the title The Twenty Days of Agriculture “soft, tender and in multiple pieces.” and Pleasures of the Villa, Le venti giornate The terrains suitable for vineyards are examined, dell’agricoltura et de’ piaceri della villa, along with the techniques for doing so, a real work of art that offered agricultural the regional differences and the damaging habits knowledge in a personal version. This version to be avoided. It also illustrates the practices applauded the “true intelligence” of Brescians, of pruning, grafting, and fertilizing, developed out of the hard work needed all the way to the nature of the grape most to make the terrains fertile and suitable for the Lombardy territory. any type of fruit. It outlined the enjoyment Among the white grapes, in first position of this occupation for the human spirit which, are the trebbiane, that create abundant wine, in letting go of the “grand expectations” then the cropelle resulting in a gentile wine, of the city, was able to better taste the schiave that mature before the others “the true needs, the appreciated freedom, “making much fruit and gentile wine,” with honest comforts and joyous deliciousness” the albamatte witha later maturation, of the countryside and the ability to remain the bugarelle that develop into a “very soave” at peace in rural tranquility. wine, and finally the bonimperghe.

66 67 The text focuses on the types most suitable are extremely delicate and hold out until Carnevale “in gardens for eating, for drying and Easter, while the brumestre nere are the last and for making good drinks,” such as to mature, with long bunches and large grapes the vernacce bianche that are “perfectly green that create a beautiful scene in gardens and can be and dry and for making delicate beverages,” stored for many months. The white quality, especially if grown hillside such as done perfect in hilly areas, is very delicate in Cellatica and Limone. and can be easily maintained. For table eating, there are the moscatelle bianche, whose wine is excellent if given great exposure Finally, there is the marina nera, seedless to sunlight, while the moscatelle nere and thus it took over for the eastern raisin. are not as suitable for wine making It is eaten when mature or left to dry, even though they are delicate on the palate. but it is not optimal for wine making The alliane, with early maturation and ready because of its low alcohol content which for harvest by the end of July are also makes its wine more suitable for those who worthy of cultivation. The same degree are ill, such as for children and even for babies. of sweetness is found in the malvasie bianche, Its cultivation is preferred up against farmhouse “but their wine is far from the abundance walls, in orchard rows, within pergolas of the eastern.” The duracine bianche or joined with trees. If left to dry, it is perfect in

68 69 70 71 pasta fillings, in pie and cake fillings, or to accompany red and white meats. In dietary practice it is suggested for “lubricating the body, settling the stomach and renewing taste.”

The fourth of the ten days is completely devoted to the preparation of wine. From harvest to cleaning wine containers, dark, acidic, alcoholic, and almost lackingin the way to make wine under different regional any aroma and are damaging to health. conditions to the cantinas for aging, the techniques for transforming and handling Against the popular trend toward “full wines” fermentations as well as sanitation and aging. and robust wines, a result of extended fermentation Without going into the detailed explanations, in vats, there is the taste for clear, light and gentile interest grew beginning even from the initial wines that are left to “boil” for just a short time. observations on the phases of harvesting. These are considered by physicians to be healthier, When harvesting grapes that are still not ripe, based on the medical-physical principles there will be “extremely delicate wines.” and the relationship between If the grapes are too ripe, the fermentation hot and cold, between the power will develop with less flavor and complexity. of the flame, the volatility Great care must be taken in separating grapes of the air, and the resistance that are unripe, hardened, moldy, dried or gone of the water in determining bad from those that are healthy, and ensure the quality of the more that leaves, straw and other detritus is removed. digestible, balanced The white varieties must be separated from and flavored fermentations. the pinks, “the gentile grapesfrom the large,” For this reason, observed and the sweet table grapes from the wine grapes. Gallo, “clear, red wines But the fermentation process will illustrate are to be praised, the difference between Italian wines as they resemble and French wines,responding to tastes eastern rubies.” that are more modern from those that are Their preparation of Lombardy which, due to the longer had already entered “boiling”of the pomace, they are turbid, into the oenological

72 73 practices of the well-irrigated Lombard fields which allowed the wines to better store and remain “with much better color, with better taste and with greater goodness.” Examples of this new , similar to French and Hungarian wines, were the cisioli or sforzati, produced in the Brescian countryside.

74 75 76 77 “IN VILLA” NOBLE ASCENDANCY “cisiolo,” compared by the Brescian agronomist to the French “chiaretti,” appreciated on the tables of the Lombard and Piemont aristocracy. If significant vinicultural developments were had through the selection of the varietals, This was a straw-colored wine, as suggested identification of the most suitable sites by the etymology of the term cisiolo. It is obtained and the import of specialized vines compared through the skinless fermentation of black grapes. to those in earlier cultivation, then the advances This method was adopted to polish the larger in wine making systems were just as important. production of red varieties into “potent” wines This is as confirmed in the extraordinary which were more desirable and in fashion. diversity of the fermentations, which are just The must remaining from the of the grapes as spectacular as those found in today’s winebars, by feet was immediately separated also by the feet and in Gallo’s agrarian process. Among significant and left to “boil” for a short time. oenological developments there was that of the It was then poured into barrels, reinforced with iron bands and waterproofed on the outside using animal fat. To block fermentation,

I78 79 the containers were submerged into cisterns curia treasury books, there is a list full of water or left at the bottom of wells prior of the supplies of this product: to being left to rest in the cantina. The result was the production zones, the quantities produced, a pleasant and gentle wine, tending toward sweet, and the greater cost compared to common but most of all effervescent and, because fermentations and reds in general. of its amiability, very appreciated. Various barrels, numbered with the letters of the alphabet, contained a significant News on its wine making was furnished quantity of “cisiolo,” barreled in the cantinas by Agostino Gallo, who explained that making of the Bishop of Brescia which was attached the cisiolo allowed the fermentation to remain to the cathedral. “fizzy for many months and as sweet”. They were identified according to the area It lasted longer and grew “in goodness of provenance, that is, the vineyards when the year had passed”. of the north-western boundaries of San Bartolomeo This technique produced “a white wine and Sant’Eustachio, of Urago Mella, Collebeato even though it was from black grapes, and Cellatica (but this is a detail limited which remained sweet for the entire year, to the bishop holdings) and corresponded as it was not allowed to boil”. to their different qualities, something that was For this reason, he celebrated clear and brilliant already being done since the 13th century. red wines which did not ferment for more Its commercial value was double that of the than three or four days, the same custom common, or nostrano, , and even of the French who did not drink “if not clear wines”. with the negative opinion of the physicians According to his explanation, which found who deemed it only slightly digestible support in the treatise by Conforti, the practice if consumed prior to the end of spring was not new among the Brescian farmers who, in that it was still cold, Gallo saw, thanks for centuries, as noted in the archives from to his own personal experience, that it could the twelve and thirteen hundreds, would sustain this contrary view in that these wines produce similar to the clear French “the more they felt the heat the more fermentations, so-called cisioli, which remained they became pleasing.” “fizzy” or “biting” for many months. In any case, his views on “fizzy” or “biting” Among the earnings recorded in the Episcopalian wines, discussed and distributed by other mess hall of Brescia, found in the Episcopalian later authors, represents the first scientific

80 81 82 83 84 85 codification of a non-still wine (even if not in a bottle), a type of fermentation that would later enjoy huge success beginning in the 18th century, thanks to a French monk from the San Pietro d’Hautvillers monastery. The main argument in favor of the chiaretto was obviously medical-dietary in nature. This white wine was judged to be superior to reds as it was more digestible, specifically because it was clearer and lighter. These qualities came from its shorter boiling, which tempered the heat of the fermentation thanks to the cold element, and due to the greater presence of water starting with its cultivation on vines in irrigated fields. There is one explanation where it is easy to recognize Conforti’s medical-dietary theories, although its results on consumption were inconsequential. The product was considered a status symbol that, in reference to the TransAlpine fashion, distinguished its noble consumers and their lavish aristocratic tables.

For the gentleman who chose to live in a villa in the country, Agostino Gallo, the expert agronomist, suggested an elite beverage such as the cisiolo, quite similar to the French chiaretto and quite diverse from the common red wine found on the tables of the padana [plains] farmers. The treasures of Franciacorta offer deep roots that sink into a land of choice and in the human genius loci. From the historiographic point

86 87 of view, it is not crucial to understand if they wine was being created, pleasant and straw-colored come before or after those boasted by other that wasresistant over time and held in high regard. European regions. It is, however, important This was thanks to the goodness of the lands to be able to document an original oenological cultivated, the hills drenched in sunlight tradition that, for sure since the 13th century, and the legendary micro climate., but most probably from much before, made it Even with all of the doubts listed by the oenologists possible to easily produce sparkling and effervescent of our time and the different techniquesin use, white wines which were more valued and desired this wine can beconsidered the most noble compared to the wider distributed nostrani rubei, ancestor of Franciacorta. adapted to represent the urban tastes of those wanting to feel like nobles. It was on this solid productive tradition, between the 15th and 16th centuries, that the French chiaretti became a key player, and while it did not overtake the habits found in the Brescia area, it rather consolidated them, making them in fact, a valid and competitive player to celebrate noble society.

The mordace wine makes it possible to state that prior to the trend of lighter fermentations, in the manner of Gaul or Hungary, in Franciacorta a wine was being created with similar properties: the fruit of a refined oenological knowledge and something that would pop and foam upon opening. Because of this, it is not out of place, nor lacking historical basis, to claim that prior to the innovations occurringthrough fermentation in bottles, it was on the Lombard hills, and especially on those located between theMella and Oglio rivers in Franciacorta, that beginning in the middle ages, a “fizzy”

88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 La zonazione della Franciacorta, edited by the Franciacorta BIBLIOGRAPHY Consortium, Erbusco, (Bs) 1997

G. Archetti, Vite e vino a Brescia nel Medioevo, «Civiltà bresciana», VI, 3 (1997), pp. 3-24

The images belong to the book: La zonazione del Garda bresciano, edited by the Brescian Provincial Vinicultural Center, Brescia 1997 A. Gallo, Le tredici giornate della vera agricoltura e de’ piaceri della villa, Venice: at Nicolò Bevilacqua, 1566, Viganò FA 5B - 238 Vecchi vitigni bresciani, edited by P. Villa, O. Milesi, A. Scienza, Brescia 1997 A. Gallo, Le tredici giornate della vera agricoltura e de’ piaceri della villa, Venice: at Nicolò Bevilacqua, 1566, Viganò FA 5B - 238 G. Archetti, “Tempus vindemie”. Per la storia delle vigne e del vino nell’Europa medievale, Brescia 1998 (Foundations. Sources and H. Conforti medici brixiani Libellus de vino mordaci, “Carlo Studies in Brescian History, 4) Viganò” Science History Library – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Brescia, Viganò FA 5B 60 Idem, Vite e territorio. Il caso della Franciacorta nel Medioevo, in Territorio e vino. La zonazione strumento di conoscenza per la G. Rosa, La Francia Corta, Bergamo 1852, (Lithographic restoration qualità, Records from the International Symposium (Siena/Italy, 19- Brescia 1974) 24 May, 1998), Siena 1999, pp. 43-54

Liber potheris communis civitatis Brixie, edited by F. Bettoni Idem, Vigne et vin au Moyen Âge: l’exemple d’une région lombarde Cazzago, L.F. Fè D’Ostiani, Torino 1899 (Historiae Patriae type: Brescia, in Vins, vignobles et de l’Antiquité à nos jours, monumenta, XIX) Records from the Symposium in Reims (9 - 11 October, 1997) seminar under the direction of V. Barrie, Nancy 1999, pp. 93-117 C. Tarello, Ricordo d’agricoltura, edited by M. Berengo, Torino 1975 (first edition 1559) Idem, La vite in in età medievale. Note storiografiche sull’ultimo decennio di studi e ricerche, «Civiltà bresciana», IX, 1 Agostino Gallo nella cultura del Cinquecento, edited by M. Pegrari, (2000), pp. 3-45 Brescia 1988 (Annals, 1) “Libellus de vino mordaci” ovvero Le bollicine del terzo millennio, “Vites plantare et bene colere”. Agricoltura e mondo rurale in edited by G. Archetti, Brescia 2001 Franciacorta nel Medioevo, Records of the IV Biennal of Franciacorta (Erbusco, at Ca’ del Bosco, 16 September, 1995) edited by G. G. Archetti, La viticoltura lombarda nel Medioevo, in Le piante Archetti, Brescia 1996 coltivate e la loro storia. Dalle origini al transgenico in Lombardia nel centenario della riscoperta della genetica di Mendel, Records of Il rinascimento della cultura della vite al convento dell’Annunciata, the Convention (S. Angelo Lodigiano, 24 June, 1999), edited by O. edited by R. Minelli, C.A. Panont, P. Villa, Erbusco (Bs) 1996 Failla, G. Forni, Milano 2001, pp. 228-247 Idem, Là dove il vin si conserva e ripone. Note sulla struttura delle Idem, “Vineam noviter pastinare”. Note storiche sulla vite e sul cantine medievali lombarde, in Le storie e la memoria. In onore vino nella Liguria medievale, in “In terra vineata”. La vite e il vino di Arnold Esch, edited by R. Delle Donne, A. Zorzi, Firenze 2002 in Liguria e nelle Alpi Marittime dal Medioevo ai nostri giorni, (Medieval Networks E-book, Reading 1), pp. 39-63 Records from the Research Symposium in Memory of Giovanni Rebora (Taggia, 6-8 May 2012) edited by A. Carassale, L. Lo Basso, La civiltà del vino. Fonti, temi e produzioni vitivinicole dal Ventimiglia (Im) 2014, pp. 13-35 Medioevo al Novecento, Records of the VII Biennial of Franciacorta (Monticelli Brusati - Antica Fratta, 5-6 October 2001), edited by Idem, “Il vino non è per i monaci”. Appunti sparsi sugli usi monastici G. Archetti, in collaboration with A. Baronio, R. Bellini, P. Villa, antichi, in “Dulcius nil est mihi veritate”. Studi in onore di Pasquale Brescia 2003 Corsi, edited by F. Monteleone, L. Lofoco, Foggia 2015, pp. 65-87

G. Archetti, Il vino nell’Europa medievale tra storia e storiografia, in Idem, I monaci a tavola: norme e consuetudini alimentari, in Prosit. Excursus storico-archeologico su produzione e uso del vino in Gli spazi della vita comunitaria, Records from the International Aquileia e in Friuli Venezia Giulia tra Antichità e Medioevo, edited Symposium (Rome-Subiaco 8-10 June 2015], edited by L. Pani by S. Blason Scarel, Manzano-Aquileia 2005, pp. 152-167 Ermini, Spoleto 2016 (De re monastica, 5), pp. 305-327

G. Ragazzi, C’era una volta il torchio. Tecnologia arcaica e memoria Idem, Vite e vino nel medioevo. Note storiche sul territorio bresciano, in Valcamonica, Afterword by R. Conti, (Bs), 2006 in Capriolo. Le radici e il territorio, Brescia 2017, pp. 26-51

G. Archetti, “Infundit vinum et oleum”. Olio e vino nella tradizione monastica, in Olio e vino nell’alto medioevo, Spoleto, 20-26 April 2006, Spoleto 2007 (Research Weeks by the Italian Foundation We thank the Historical Funds and Archives Management of Center on High Middle Ages Studies, LIV), pp. 1099-1209 Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Brescia for the collaboration and kind concession of the texts. Idem, “Solum in pane et aqua abstinere”. L’alimentazione a Fonte Avellana al tempo di Pier Damiani, in Fonte Avellana nel secolo di Pier Damiani, in Records from the XXIX Convention of the Avellaniti Research Center (Fonte Avellana, 29-31 August 2007), edited by N. D’Acunto, San Pietro in Cariano (Vr) 2008, pp. 179- 211

Idem, “Plantavit quoque vineam”. La viticoltura bresciana nel medioevo, in Storia dell’agricoltura bresciana, edited by M. Belfanti, M. Taccolini, I, Brescia 2008, pp. 91-120

Idem, Intorno all’origine della Franciacorta, in D.G.R. Carugati, Berlucchi 1961-2011. Sogno e realtà: Franco Ziliani, pioniere in Franciacorta, Milano 2012, pp. 16-19 GABRIELE ARCHETTI

Full Professor of Medieval History in the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Catholic University, he is president of the Center for Lombard Studies, established by the Lombardy Region, and of the Cogeme onlus Foundation; curator of the Piamarta Museum, he is a member of numerous cultural and associative institutions, scientific councils and editorial committees; he has developed and directed editorial series and collaborated with various historical science journals He is the author of approximately 500 publications including monographs, essays and scientific contributions, focusing on the history of food, agriculture and material culture, which have appeared in Italy and abroad.

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