There are evenings when sparkling wine is simply enjoyable
And then there are evenings when sparkling wine becomes a story about landscape, philosophy, courage and people

The recent tasting at the Estonian Sommelier Association in Tallinn belonged firmly to the second category. The house presented was Corte Aura – a Franciacorta producer that combines elegance, technical precision and emotional authenticity in a very Italian way.

The event was organised together with R14, a wine restaurant that has grown out of productive cooperation with Rein Kasela Winery and carries a clear ambition: to offer tasteful experiences to people who genuinely love quality wine and good food. Special thanks to the team of R14 and the Estonian Sommelier Association for creating such a warm and professional atmosphere around the tasting.

For me personally, the evening also carried an emotional layer. I had the opportunity to visit Corte Aura in 2024, and this masterclass brought those warm memories back with even more colour and meaning. Sometimes a second encounter with a wine house deepens understanding far beyond technical tasting notes. You begin to remember the landscapes, the hospitality, the philosophy and the people behind the bottles. This tasting in Tallinn felt less like a formal presentation and more like reconnecting with old friends.

The workshop was led by Federico Fossati, who once worked as an accountant in the Veneto region before deciding to leave spreadsheets behind and dedicate his life to creating wines of superior quality in Franciacorta. It was immediately clear that this was not merely a professional career change. It was a life philosophy.

Federico proved to be a true ambassador of Franciacorta — energetic, warm, knowledgeable and deeply passionate about the identity of the region. He spoke not only about wine production, but about patience, balance, craftsmanship and respect for nature. The atmosphere of the tasting reflected exactly what the best sparkling wine experiences should be: educational, elegant and joyful at the same time.

What Makes Corte Aura Different?

Franciacorta is often described as Italy’s answer to Champagne, but this comparison is both useful and limiting. Yes, the wines are produced using the traditional method with secondary fermentation in bottle. Yes, the finest examples can achieve extraordinary complexity and ageing potential. But Franciacorta has its own soul.

At Corte Aura, the philosophy appears to focus on purity, texture and the authentic expression of terroir rather than aggressive winemaking signatures. The wines feel polished without becoming industrial. Precision exists together with softness.

The estate’s values could be summarized in four words:

• elegance
• patience
• balance
• authenticity

And perhaps most importantly: drinkability. These are serious wines that still invite pleasure.

Franciacorta Corte Aura Satèn

Satèn is one of the most distinctive styles in Franciacorta and a category that many sparkling wine lovers outside Italy still underestimate.

Corte Aura Satèn immediately showed why the style has become such a symbol of Lombard elegance. Produced only from white grapes and with lower bottle pressure than classic sparkling wines, Satèn creates a softer, creamier mousse.

This wine felt refined and silky from the first moment. The bubbles were gentle rather than aggressive. Aromatically, it moved toward white flowers, delicate citrus, soft brioche and subtle almond notes.

What impressed me most was its harmony. Nothing shouted. Everything was integrated.

This is the kind of sparkling wine that does not demand attention through power. It wins through sophistication.

Franciacorta Corte Aura Brut

The Brut offered a more classical and versatile expression of the house style.

Fresh orchard fruit, lively acidity and elegant autolytic notes created a wine that would work beautifully both as an aperitif and at the dining table. Federico repeatedly emphasized gastronomic flexibility during the workshop, and this wine demonstrated exactly what he meant.

There was energy here, but also discipline. The finish remained clean and focused.

For many consumers, Brut is often simply the “basic” category. In reality, it is frequently the best place to understand a producer’s true identity. Corte Aura Brut communicated clarity, precision and confidence.

Franciacorta Corte Aura Pas Dosé

Pas Dosé wines can sometimes become severe or overly intellectual. Corte Aura avoided that trap beautifully.

The absence of dosage allowed the terroir and structure to speak with remarkable transparency, yet the wine still remained inviting and balanced. Mineral notes, citrus peel, subtle toast and saline freshness created a very gastronomic profile.

This was a wine for attentive tasting rather than casual sipping.

It also reflected something Federico Fossati repeatedly mentioned during the evening: quality starts in the vineyard. When fruit quality is sufficiently high, there is no need to hide behind sugar.

Insé Pas Dosé 2015 Corte Aura Franciacorta

This was one of the emotional highlights of the tasting.

Aged vintage Franciacorta always carries a certain quiet confidence, and the 2015 Insé Pas Dosé showed maturity without losing vitality. The wine offered layers of dried citrus, hazelnut, baked apple, pastry notes and a beautifully evolving mineral depth.

What made it especially compelling was its tension between maturity and freshness. The wine had evolved, but it was still alive and energetic.

There was also something philosophically interesting about this bottle. In a world obsessed with speed and immediate visibility, wines like this remind us that true quality often requires time, silence and patience.

Franciacorta Corte Aura Rosé

Rosé sparkling wines frequently struggle between seriousness and charm. Corte Aura Rosé managed to achieve both.

The wine showed beautiful colour, elegant red berry aromas and fine structure without becoming sweet or superficial. Wild strawberry, raspberry and subtle floral notes worked together with refreshing acidity and refined bubbles.

This was not a “pink party wine.”
It was a serious gastronomic rosé with personality. Trust me, I’m Madam Rosé.

As Madam Rosé, I naturally approached this wine with particular curiosity — and it absolutely justified the attention. And  they have it in mangnum too!

Blau Blanc de Noir 2016 Corte Aura Franciacorta

Blanc de Noir wines often reveal the deeper, more structured side of sparkling wine production, and the 2016 Blau was fascinating.

The wine displayed impressive complexity and maturity while maintaining elegance. Darker fruit nuances, toasted elements, subtle spice and persistent structure created a more contemplative experience.

This was a wine that encouraged slower drinking and conversation.

One could sense both technical mastery and patience behind it.

Raramé 2012 Corte Aura Franciacorta Riserva

Every great tasting usually has one wine that changes the atmosphere in the room.
Raramé 2012 Riserva was that wine.

This was not merely sparkling wine. It was an experience.

Deeply layered, mature and exceptionally refined, the wine opened gradually in the glass, revealing toasted brioche, roasted nuts, dried fruit, mineral complexity and extraordinary length. Yet despite its richness, the wine retained freshness and elegance.

The balance was remarkable.

Great sparkling wines are often described using technical vocabulary, but sometimes the simplest reaction is the most honest one: silence around the table. People stop speaking because they are concentrating completely on the glass.

Raramé created exactly that moment.

Franciacorta and the Future of Fine Sparkling Wine

The evening at the Estonian Sommelier Association also highlighted something larger happening in the world of fine sparkling wine.

Consumers are increasingly curious. They are no longer looking only for famous labels. They want authenticity, regional identity and human stories behind the bottle.

Franciacorta has all the ingredients to answer this demand:

• strong terroir
• rigorous production standards
• gastronomic elegance
• and a distinctly Italian sense of beauty and hospitality

Through Federico Fossati’s presentation, Corte Aura showed not only technical competence, but emotional intelligence — something that is becoming equally important in luxury wine culture.

Sparkling wine is not only about bubbles.
It is about atmosphere, memory, conversation and human connection.

And this tasting in Tallinn created exactly that magic.

One of the most emotional moments of the evening for me personally was the opportunity to reconnect with Corte Auraafter visiting the winery itself in 2024. That visit was pure magic — the vineyards, the atmosphere of Franciacorta, the passion behind the wines and the warmth of the people created memories that stayed with me long after returning to Estonia.

The degustation and workshop in Tallinn added even more positive emotions to those memories. Sometimes wine is not only about taste; it is about places, encounters and feelings that return with the first sip in the glass. During this masterclass, those warm memories became even more colourful and meaningful.

Special thanks also to R14, one of the organisers of the event together with the Estonian Sommelier Association. R14 is a wine restaurant that has grown out of productive cooperation with Rein Kasela Winery, with a desire to offer tasteful experiences to people who truly appreciate quality wine and good food. The elegant atmosphere and professional organisation helped create an evening worthy of the beauty and sophistication of Franciacorta wines.