Ferghettina

Established in 1990 by Roberto Gatti, the family-run Ferghettina winery has been producing excellent Franciacorta wines for decades. Ferghettina’s distinctive square bottles – designed by the owner’s enologist son and meant to put the focus on the finesse, flavor, and aroma of the wine – make uncorking a special occasion. Preserving the land for future generations is a major priority for the Gatti family, and that is why the winery has been certified organic since 2017.

The History

Roberto Gatti was born into a family of farmers and has always been a man of the land. He worked on a farm in his youth and later managed a wine cellar and vineyards for a well-known winery.  In 1990, he began to help an elderly family friend manage a tiny winery she was struggling to keep up after her husband’s death. At the time, she sold the grapes in bulk, but she was so impressed that she offered to sell Roberto the winery and the adjacent 3 hectares (7.4 acres) under vine, convinced production would shine under his guidance.

In 1991, Ferghettina was born, named after the winery’s location. For the first time, wines were bottled with the Ferghettina label, and Roberto released his first Franciacorta Brut in 1992.

The Gatti family winery has a staff of 15 with yearly production of around 450,000 bottles. Roberto works alongside his children, Laura and Matteo, who both have degrees in enology. Preserving the land for future generations is a major priority for the Gatti family, and that is why the winery has been certified organic since 2017.

Many of the wines come in a bottle especially designed by Matteo Gatti. The bottles have a square base and pyramid-like flat sides so that during aging on the lees, the yeasts of second fermentation have 2.5 times greater contact with the wine as compared with traditional, round bottles. The result is greater finesse, flavor, and aroma.

The Terroir

After a lifetime in the vineyards, Roberto knows that the best fruit ripens gradually, and this informs his winemaking process. His reputation and expertise have continued to grow in the region, allowing Roberto to take over new plots with long leases (20-25 years), which he has re-planted to the strictest standards, now running a total of 200 hectares (490 acres) under vine, split into a variety of Franciacorta districts.

Ferghettina invests in top-quality equipment and focuses on the best in vineyard management. One of these investments includes a state-of-the-art, 64,600-square-foot winery in Adro, in the province of Brescia, designed by Laura’s architect husband. It is entirely integrated into the landscape with the look of a traditional farmhouse made of brick and stone.  The estate is on a gently sloping hill within sight of Lake Iseo.