Italy’s elegant answer to Champagne, made by the traditional method. Cuvée Real is a Franciacorta DOCG Brut from Antica Fratta, a historic estate in Monticelli Brusati whose cellars lie inside the hillside behind a 19th-century villa. Chardonnay leads, with a little Pinot Nero, hand-harvested and aged at least 24 months on the lees. The result is pale straw with green glints, a fine, persistent mousse, and aromas of lemon, yellow apple, white peach and a hint of roasted hazelnut. Fresh, creamy and precise, it is a superb aperitif and a natural partner for oysters, shellfish and delicate fish. Critics including James Suckling have scored it 90 or more.