According to a historical legend, the name of this area is said to be due to Charlemagne, who, when he came to these territories to fight the Lombards, was so fascinated by the places that reminded him of his homeland that he nicknamed them “little France.”
In reality, the name Franciacorta derives from “Franzacurta,” which in turn comes from the Latin “francae curtae,” meaning “courts,” in the sense of monastic courts, “franche,” meaning exempt from episcopal taxes. It is in these properties belonging to the clergy that viticulture developed in the 15th century, and from documented historical sources, we know that already in the 16th century, the fermentation processes in bottles for the production of sparkling wines were known.