Joska & Francesca Biondelli — are undoubtedly the masters of Italy’s prized sparkling wine. I have never been an oenophile but thanks to Joska’s talent in the cellar, I fell in love with the estate’s wine and Satèn has become one of my favorites. Biondelli is a beautiful, historic place and Francesca’s hospitality and savoir-faire can be felt throughout. An interior designer herself, she has expertly designed and restored it with a skillful and unconventional mix & match of different fabrics, patterns and colors. The Italy Edit by Livia Hengel: Italy/The most Soulful Hotels

A family-owned boutique winery in the heart of Franciacorta, where wine has been at the centre of our lives for generations. Long before welcoming guests, this estate was our family home—a place where the land has been cultivated, the vineyards carefully tended and our Franciacorta wines crafted from grapes grown exclusively on our own estate. Surrounded by ten hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards and set within a historic two-hectare park, Biondelli is a working winery where every season follows the rhythm of the vines. From the hand harvest to vinification, ageing and disgorgement, every stage of production takes place here, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern winemaking technology. Every bottle reflects the character of our vineyards and the passion of the family who continues to care for them. Since the 1940s, the estate has been the home of the Biondelli family, and today we are proud to share not only our wines, but also the place and traditions from which they are born. In 2018, after a meticulous and respectful restoration of our 18th-century estate, we opened the doors of our family home to a small number of guests. Our intention was never to create a traditional hotel, but to offer an authentic vineyard stay where visitors can experience the atmosphere of a working family winery while enjoying every modern comfort. The estate has been carefully restored to preserve its original character, with historic architecture, original frescoes and period features thoughtfully combined with contemporary amenities. Our 11 suites overlook either the historic park or the surrounding vineyards, while antique furnishings, family heirlooms and carefully selected vintage pieces reflect the authentic spirit of the house. A stay at Biondelli is an invitation to experience Franciacorta from within the estate itself—hosted by the family who grows the grapes, crafts the wines and continues to call this historic property home.

The territory of Franciacorta includes the Morenic Field which stretches south from Lake Iseo in that part of the Province of Brescia set in-between the Rivers Mella to the East and Oglio to the West and that reaches out to the slopes of the Montorfano Hill. An area of extraordinary beauty which stretches from the banks of Lake Iseo across gentle hills and evocative valleys embellished by ancient villages, medieval castles, patrician villas, churches and remote abbeys. Different theories try to explain the origin of the name of this region, but the most plausible of them has the name Franciacorta descending from "Franchae Curtes". These were communities of Benedictine Monks who took possession of the area during the middle ages and that were granted fiscal exemption due to their work of drainage and reclamation of the land. However, the culture of vines and wine production in the land of Franciacorta are much more ancient than the name of the region itself. The first traces of this longstanding activity date back as far as pre-historic times and continued up to today, withstanding the different invasions and occupations witnessed by this area in centuries of history. A tradition of vine culture which spanned across several millennia and that has succeeded in recognizing the production of the Spumante di Franciacorta as the true vocation of this land. The testimony left by doctor Gerolamo Conforti (a physician of the 16th century) back in 1520 in his "Libellus De Vino Mordaci" (Dissertation on Sparkling Wine), which describes the wine produced in Franciacorta and praises its soothing qualities, proves the ancient vocation for sparkling wine in Franciacorta. The territory of Franciacorta as it is today is the result of an ancient and glorious past as well as of the enterprising and laborious nature of its people who have contributed to the modern development of the region with their work and tenacity.