Pietraluce

In the morainic hills of Franciacorta, where a retreating glacier shaped Lake Iseo some 10,000 years ago and left behind soils rich in minerals and history, the Savoldi family is writing a new chapter for one of Italy’s most celebrated sparkling wine regions. Their winery’s name says it all: Pietraluce — “light stone.” Pietra, precious stone, represents the earth itself, a thing to be respected and cared for. Luce, light, is what emerges from that care: a glass of brilliant, sparkling Franciacorta.

This is a young estate, but not a hesitant one. Based in Cazzago San Martino at the heart of Franciacorta, the Savoldi family — led by young owner Marika Bertoli alongside her uncle and grandfather — farms 8 hectares across three vineyards in Timoline, Capriolo, and Passirano, each with its own distinct, complementary character shaped by the region’s glacial soils.

Pietraluce believes deeply in one thing: Chardonnay. Their Franciacorta wines are made almost exclusively from this single variety — prized for its elegance, clarity, and its extraordinary suitability to the traditional method — with the sole exception of their limited-edition Rosé, a mere 3,000 bottles of 100% Pinot Noir. The philosophy in the vineyard mirrors the philosophy in the cellar: minimal intervention, low chemical use, and a commitment to letting each site’s small ecosystem speak for itself, where “man enters as little as possible.” Gentle pressing, low sulfite use, extended lees aging, and a signature low dosage combine to create wines defined by authenticity and precision.

The result is a contemporary, elegant expression of Franciacorta — proof that a young, family-driven vision and centuries of glacial terroir can produce something genuinely luminous.