La Montina Franciacorta Brut NV, Lombardy, Italy (£22 Buon Vino, Passion e Vino)
Ripe pineapple and dried apricot flesh, with some citrus, and notes of bread dough and almonds to add further interest, feels young and not hugely complex but still a nice drink. B

Enrico Gatti ‘Erbusco’ Franciacorta Brut NV, Lombardy, Italy (£36 Vini Italiani, Vini Vivi, Soho Wine Supply, Il Toscanaccio, Ake & Humphris)
Showing some maturity, with a (good) hint of mushrooms and undergrowth to the crystallised pineapple and orange peel and dried apricot flavours. Combines yeasty brioche-like richness with precise zesty acidity, and lingers in the mouth long after you’ve swallowed. S

Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Satèn 2010, Lombardy, Italy (£23-£25 Vintage Roots, Cheers Wine Merchants)
I like the citrus freshness and flavours of preserved lemon, but there’s also a hint of jelly – OK, but just a little simple for real class. B-