Villa Franciacorta opens the doors of its medieval village for three days dedicated to time, the company’s core value, in a journey that sees wine as the protagonist of an immersive experience.
From a hot air balloon suspended above the vineyards at sunset to a starlit dinner in the medieval village, guided tastings, tours of underground cellars, aperitifs among the vines, and a Wine Garden dedicated to vintage wines: this is Villa Franciacorta’s program, which will take guests on a journey through the history of wine during the 2026 Franciacorta Festival, taking place from September 18th to 20th.
At Monticelli Brusati, every event will be an opportunity to transform the Villa Franciacorta philosophy into an experience to be lived. This philosophy is based on the choice to produce exclusively Franciacorta Millesimati, wines that come from a single harvest and require years of waiting before reaching the glass.
Highlights will include tastings led by AIS speakers Artur Vaso and Nicola Bonera, guided tours dedicated to discovering Franciacorta and the Villa Franciacorta experience, and much more. For those seeking a gastronomic experience, Ela’ Osteria in Villa will offer original pairings, while those wishing to stay overnight in the ancient village can enjoy the Villa Gradoni Charme & Nature experience.
Here is the complete calendar:
Dinner Under the Stars | Friday, September 18th
An exclusive dinner for a limited number of guests will be held at a 60-meter imperial table in the hamlet of Villa Franciacorta. The culinary offerings will be curated by chef Mauro Zacchetti of Ela’ Osteria in Villa.
7:30 pm, €130/person.
Hot Air Balloon Experience | Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th
The hot air balloon will gently rise above the vineyards of Villa Franciacorta, offering the only tethered flight experience in all of Franciacorta. From above, the medieval village and Franciacorta reveal themselves from a unique perspective.
At the end of the experience, a glass of Franciacorta Millesimato.
The experience will take place until seats are filled from 6:00 pm to 8:15 pm, €65/adult, €50/child (minimum age 5 years).
Today I feel like an oenologist | Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th
Listen to and taste the wine along its journey, just like an oenologist. Six tastings will take visitors directly to the places where the wine is born and evolves: from the base wines of the latest harvest, tasted in steel vats, to the volée disgorgement, up to a Franciacorta Millesimato and another surprise wine, tasted in the places where they mature.
5:30 pm, €60/person
Sunset in the Vineyard | Friday, September 18th, Saturday, September 19th, and Sunday, September 20th
After a guided tour of the medieval village and the cellars of Villa Franciacorta, you’ll walk to the Casa dell’Eremita, nestled among the rows of Cru Gradoni vines, for a sunset aperitif featuring two Franciacorta Millesimati wines and a surprise wine paired with finger food and a hot dish.
5pm, €65/person
Villa Franciacorta Wine Garden | Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th
The medieval village will open its doors to an event dedicated to Franciacorta Millesimati, where select cuisine, food trucks, music, and conviviality accompany the wine, the undisputed star.
Each participant will receive a souvenir glass and a tasting of a Villa Franciacorta Millesimato.
From 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm, €20/person.
A Journey Through History | Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th
Inside the medieval village, a tour to discover the philosophy of Villa Franciacorta. You will also visit the underground cellar, where over 1 million bottles rest, stacked one by one by hand, and the pupitre (racks) showcase the craftsmanship of times gone by: every day, 16,400 bottles are still rowed by hand, according to the tradition of the Villa Franciacorta Method.
The experience will conclude with a guided tasting of three Franciacorta Millesimati.
Four time slots: 11:00, 12:00, 14:30, 15:30. €40/adult, €10/children (aged 6 to 17)
0/Children (0 to 5 years)
A Diamond is Forever | Saturday, September 19
A vertical tasting dedicated to Diamant, a Pas Dosé Millesimato that epitomizes the precision and depth of Villa Franciacorta. After a stroll through the underground cellars, accompanied by the owners, Nicola Bonera, Italy’s best sommelier, will lead the tasting on a journey through 20 years of history.
10:30 am, €70/person
Horizontal 2011 | Sunday, September 20
A tasting dedicated to the 2011 vintage, one of the great years in the history of Franciacorta, following a tour of the underground cellars, accompanied by the owner, Artur Vaso, a sommelier and one of the most authoritative voices on Italian wine, will share the different interpretations of a vintage that never ceases to amaze. 10:30 am, €70/person.
A historic winery in Monticelli Brusati , passionately managed by the Bianchi-Pizziol family , Villa Franciacorta has been producing vintage Franciacortas since its founding in the 1960s by Alessandro Bianchi. These wines are made exclusively from grapes grown on the estate’s organic vineyards. Each bottle ages extensively in the underground cellar and is hand-riddled. The result is a Franciacorta with a strong identity, capable of inspiring emotion.
All events will take place at Villa Franciacorta | Villa 12, Monticelli Brusati (Brescia) | 030.652329.