At twenty-nine-years old, Alessandra Divella is the Italian answer to grower Champagne, on track to upend the industrial farming practices rampant in Franciacorta. Her vines have been organic from the start and her two hectares, on lease for thirty years from an older neighbor, teem with life, including rosehips and praying mantises. The aim is to eventually move toward permaculture. Grapes are always hand harvested and treated gently.

Alessandra herself has a quiet confidence that belies the adrenaline rush of her wines: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir so saline and bracing they make your heart race. She does not come from a winemaking family but rather stumbled into it through interactions with winemakers that made her "feel at home." She does, however, draw from her family heritage when it comes to detail and precision: her Italian father (for which her NiNì cuvée is named) and Swiss mother (Clo Clo) are both academics.

Zero sulfur / zero dosage, Alessandra's wines are 100% méthode champenoise so dialed into their provenance of clay and limestone that your mouth will salivate for minutes (if not hours) afterward. With less than a decade of winemaking experience under her wing, Alessandra has already achieved pioneer status within the region as one of the first estates to farm organically and the first to be female-led. The exceptional level of wines produced is mind-melting, especially considering that this is only the beginning.

DIVELLA GUSSAGO

Country: Italy

Region: Lombardy

Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta

Winemakers and Owners: Alessandra Divella

Viticulture: Organic, limited use of copper & sulfur

Terroir: Limestone, clay

Size: 2 ha

Website: alessandradivella.com
Instagram: @alessandra_divella

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Blanc de Blancs

This zero/zero Franciacorta is an absolute stunner. Not only is it one of the only naturally-made wines from the region, but also the only one made by a female winemaker. Alessandra’s precision and thoughtfulness are expressed in the wine in the form of racy acidity and clean, mineral-driven depth. Soft, slow hand pressing of the grapes with the manual wood basket press results in a light maceration. With only 1g/L of residual sugar present in the bottle, and a whopping 33 months on the lees, the wine is racy and full on the palate, with notes of brioche.

Vintage: 2019
Grapes: Chardonnay
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation in barriques
Aging: 30 months on the lees

Disgorged:  January 2023
Dosage:  0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Clo Clo Rosé

Named in honor of Alessandra’s mother, the Clo Clo Rosé is made from the gentle second press of hand-harvested pinot noir. This zero-zero, brut sparkling rosé is one that easily transitions from cocktail hour to dinner. The wine exhibits a beautiful light pink shade with bright citrus notes, hints of dried fruit and a touch of brioche. Delicate, lithe, with a stealth power from the richness of the lees aging.

Vintage: Base 2018 Harvest, 25-30% vin de reserve
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: First fermentation made with indigenous yeasts, then aged in barriques until spring. Blended with 25-30% of Vin de Reserve made of 100% Pinot Noir before the tirage
Aging: 42 months on the lees

Disgorged:  January 2023
Dosage:  0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Dady 

Named after Alessandra's nickname for her favorite aunt, this zero/zero cuvée is in essence the Blanc de Blancs, but all grown up. The same lightly macerated Chardonnay is blended with reserve wine from previous vintages to create an even more mineral version of the Blanc de Blancs. 42 months on the lees brings out the textural complexity and oxidative aromas in the presence of ever-present acid linearity.

Vintage: Base 2018 Harvest, 25-30% vin de reserve
Grapes: Chardonnay
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation and aging in barriques. Blended with 25-30% of Vin de Reserve made of Chardonnay before tirage in April
Aging: 42 months on the lees

Disgorged: January 2023
Dosage: 0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Ni Nì 

This saline-packed sparkling reminded Alessandra so much her father, who grew up basking in the salty and misty air of the port city of Bari, that she named this cuvée after him. A powerhouse of a zero/zero Franciacorta that brings complexity, depth, and a lingering finish. This mineral-driven wine also evokes notes of bruised fruit and a lightly oxidative quality.

Vintage: Base 2018 Harvest, 25-30% vin de reserve
Grapes: Chardonnay (50%), Pinot Noir (50%)
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation and aging in barriques. Blended with 25% of Vin de Reserve made of 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay before the tirage.
Aging: 42 months on the lees

Disgorged: January 2023
Dosage: 0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Blanc de Noirs

This zero/zero Blanc de Noirs is the supreme expression of pinot noir bottled by the estate. Made exclusively from first-press pinot noir which has been softly hand pressed with a manual wood basket press. Aged for 42 months the lees, this wine lavishes us with a bouquet of rich tertiary aromas on the nose and a powerful minerality and structure on the palate.

Vintage: 2018 Harvest
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation in barriques.
Aging: Aged in barriques until tirage in April. 42 months on the lees.

Disgorged:  January 2023
Dosage:  0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Rosé de Saignee

0/0 Pinot Noir, macerated for just one night. Spontaneously fermented and aged in used barriques. Wild strawberries on the nose, followed by powerful but supremely elegant fruit on the palate. 54 months sur lie.

Vintage: 2017
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation in barrique, one night of maceration
Aging: Aged in barriques until tirage. 54 months on the lees

Disgorged:  January 2023
Dosage:  0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None

DIVELLA GUSSAGO :: Solera

100% Chardonnay from vintages 2014 through 2018, aged via solera method. Born of the idea to experiment with oxidation, the resulting wine is defined by a beautiful tension and nostalgia for the passage of time. Bottled in 2019. 45 months sur lie.

Vintage: 2014-2018
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Style: Sparkling Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lombardy
Sub-Region or Appellation: Franciacorta
Viticulture: Organic (uncertified), with no systematic treatments and limited use of copper and sulfur only when necessary
Age of Vines: 18 years old
Soils: Limestone, clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation in barrique.
Aging: Aged in barriques until tirage. 45 months on the lees

Disgorged:  January 2023
Dosage:  0 g/L
Fining or Filtering: None