The 2008 Curtefranca Vigna Convento SS. Annunciata (Chardonnay) shows good depth and roundness, but loses much of its persistence on the flabby finish. The oak also seems out of balance in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014. Proprietor Vittorio Moretti embodies the spirit of Italian business. Franciacorta, which is not too far from the Lago d’Iseo and Brescia, is in the center of a strip of cities that spans Torino to Venice where a special breed of highly motivated entrepreneurs run the motor of Italian industry. Moretti started with a construction business that led to building wineries and finally to owning his own estates. Bellavista is the crown jewel of the Moretti empire. Under the leadership of Mattia Vezzola, the Bellavista wines have never been better. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2006 Curtefranca Convento Santissima Annunciata is a pretty, delicate wine laced with white peaches, flowers, minerals and subtle French oak. The wine offers tons of clarity and detail on a mid-weight frame. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. This is a strong set of wines from Bellavista, hands-down the qualitative leader in Franciacorta. The NV Brut Cuvee is typically one of Italy’s finest sparkling wines, as it is again this year. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2005 Chardonnay Convento dell’ Annunciata is a gorgeous wine endowed with admirable clarity and precision. Varietal fruit, minerals and sweet toasted oak flow from this taut, focused Chardonnay from Lombardy. The wine closes with an understated yet brilliant finish. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2013. Bellavista is arguably the most important producer of sparkling wines in Italy as measured by quality. The estate’s top cuvees spend anywhere from 36 to 60 months on their lees, which gives them a level of complexity and body that few, if any, Italian methode champenoise wines can match. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900