(2015) The striking feature of Ferghettina's Milledi cuvée (there's a cheaper straight 'Brut' too) is its bottle. Researched and designed by winemaker Matteo Gatti, its beauty is more than skin deep: Gatti claims the square sides allow two and a half times greater lees contact as the wine lays in the cellars compared to traditional bottles. It is a Blanc de Blancs made from 100% Chardonnay, aged 36 months on the lees with a dosage of 7g/l and 12.5% alcohol. Fresh, herby and lightly toasty, it is open and lightly oxidative in style, lovely fruit sweetness coming through with some honey on the palate, a gentle mousse and very good length and clarity.

(2015) The first of two 'Satèn' wines, a distinct Franciacorta style, always made from 100% Chardonnay and bottled at slightly lower pressure, giving a satiny mouthfeel. This was also part-fermented in small oak barrels, aged 36 months, and has 7.5g/l dosage and 12.5% alcohol. Soft, with pear-like fruit on the nose, some exotic fruit hints and the slighly reduced pressure giving a creamy quality to the mousse and palate. Sweet fruit, almost a confectionery quality, but the silkiness conceals a very tight, fresh acid balance.

(2014) The blend in this vintage wine is 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Nero, with some of the Chardonnay fermented in small barrels and the wine spending 36 months on the lees. The colour is quite a rich but pale gold, with streams of tiny bubbles. On the nose baked apple pie and pastry, creamy ground almond and a background of apple fruit. In the mouth this has quite a structured, concentrated feel, with grapefruity acidity and a mouth-filling richness and texture. The clarity of line is there, the core of sour lemon and grapefruit keeping the tension in a really nicely done, serious yet approachable style that is very Champagne-like. Long and delicious.