I’m a member of the Dutch affiliation of Vinologists (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland) and after the nice wine journey to Piemonte final 12 months, I joined this 12 months’s journey to Lombardia. Our information for the journey was Fred Nijhuis, similar to final 12 months.
Lombardia shouldn’t be as well-known as a wine area as Piemonte or Toscana, however it does have extra wine producing areas than we may go to in a 5-day journey. A very powerful wine producing areas of Lombardia are Valtellina, Franciacorta, and Oltrepò Pavese, that are the one three areas with a DOCG denomination in Lombardia. That is the primary article in a brief sequence, through which I describe the primary day through which we visited Oltrepò Pavese. Subsequent shall be Franciacorta, Valtellina, and Valcalepio. We didn’t go to the opposite wine producing areas in Lombaria, that are Cellatica, Botticino, Garda, San Martino della Battaglia, Lugana, Garda Colli Mantovani, Lambrusco Mantovano, San Colombano al Lambro, and Capriano del Colle.
There are two components of Lombardia which are on the opposite (southern) aspect of the river Po than the remainder of Lombardia. Oltrepò Pavese is the half “on the opposite aspect of the river Po” (actually: Oltrepò) close to town of Pavia, and Oltrepò Mantovano is the half close to town of Mantua, the place Lambrusco Mantovano is produced.
Oltrepò Pavese (OP) has one DOCG denomination since 2007: Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG. It’s a glowing wine that may be white or rosé, and is at all times made with a minimum of 70% Pinot Nero and the remainder Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Bianco. If Pinot Nero is written on the label, then it must comprise a minimum of 85% Pinot Nero. OP is the third largest manufacturing space for Pinot Noir on this planet, after Burgundy and Champagne, and the primary metodo classico on this planet after Champagne. The ‘traditional technique’ for making glowing wine is similar as is utilized in Champagne, which is to create the bubbles by a second fermentation within the bottle. Identical to Champagne, the minimal time to age on the lees after the second fermentation is 15 months (24 months for single classic). Two vital variations with Champagne are the hotter local weather and the predominance of Pinot Nero in OP with a minimal proportion of 70%. (Champagne with 70% or extra Pinot Noir definitely exists, however there may be additionally a number of Champagne that has much less Pinot Noir or is even 100% Chardonnay, blanc de blancs). Pinot Noir was launched in OP from France within the mid nineteenth century to supply nonetheless white (blanc de noirs) and glowing wines. Like Champagne, OP has chalky soils, which provides the grapes greater acidity and thus makes them extra appropriate to supply glowing wines. OP additionally has extra Pinot Nero than in Franciacorta.
There was one DOC for all wines from OP, however now there are a number of DOC denominations subsequent to the DOCG for metodo classico:
- Pinot Nero dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC: nonetheless crimson from a minimum of 95% Pinot Nero, additionally riserva (aged a minimum of two years, of which a minimum of six months in wooden);
- Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC: dry crimson wine of a minimum of 85% Croatina, typically however not at all times frizzante (glowing);
- Oltrepò Pavese DOC: crimson, rosé, and white wines, each nonetheless and glowing, from many native and worldwide grape varieties, each varietals and blends, a very powerful being Barbera, Riesling, and Moscato;
- Sangue di Giuda DOC: a candy crimson wine, often glowing (however nonetheless can also be allowed), that could be a mix of 25%-65% Barbera, 25%-65% Croatina, and most 45% Uva Rara, Ughetta del Canneto (Vespolina), and Pinot Nero.
- Buttafuoco DOC: dry crimson wine of the identical mix as Sangue di Giuda besides that no Pinot Nero is allowed, often nonetheless (however glowing can also be allowed).
Our first cease in Oltrepò Pavese was for lunch at La Locanda in Calvignano.
We began with a pleasant risotto as primo piatto, made with radicchio, scamorza (smoked mozzarella), and Bonarda wine, paired with Lunano by Travaglino. This dry fragrant white wine is a mix of Pinot Grigio, Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay that’s Provincia di Pavia IGT. The secondo piatto was breast of veal, filled with spinach and served with roasted potatoes. It was paired with an Oltrepò Pavese Barbera Campo dei Ciliegi 2018 by Travaglino, a properly balanced medium-bodied Barbera. We completed with tiramisù.
The primary vineyard of our journey was Travaglino, established in Calvignano in 1868 in a former monastery courting again to the 12 months 1111. It’s a family-owned boutique vineyard with 80 hectares of vineyards. Solely 25% of the manufacturing is used to supply 200,000 bottles of wine, the rest of the harvest is bought. There are 8 households which have lived and labored for generations on the property.
Travaglino specialised in Pinot Nero, each metodo classico glowing and nonetheless wines, and Riesling. The glowing wines age for twenty-four to 60 or 70 months on the lees after the second fermentation within the bottle. Getting older al these bottles takes up a number of house within the cellars of the vineyard. Alessandro confirmed us across the property.
For the highest glowing wines, the remuage (turning the bottles to maneuver the useless yeast to the neck of the bottle) continues to be executed by hand.
However the the rest is turned by machines.
We have been obtained within the good tasting room by Christina, the place we tasted 6 extra wines by Travaglino, after the two already tasted with lunch.
The wines we tasted have been:
- Cuvée 59, OP Metodo Classico DOCG (with out classic), 80% Pinot Nero, 20% Chardonnay, aged for twenty-four months, Brut 7 grams/litre
- Montecérésino, OP Metodo Classico Pinot Nero Rosè 2016, 100% Pinot Nero, aged for 48 months, Further Brut 3 grams/litre
- Campo della Fojada 2021, Oltrepò Pavese DOC Riesling
- Pernero 2021, Pinot Nero dell’OP DOC
- Poggio della Buttinera 2018, Pinot Nero dell’OP Riserva DOC, aged for 3 years, of which 11 months in oak, of which 10% new
- Marc’Antonio 2019, Oltrepò Pavese Rosso Riserva DOC, 60% Barbera and 40% Croatina, aged 1 12 months in French oak barriques
Personally I favored the 2 metodo classico wines greatest, which have been each effectively balanced and stylish with a really creamy mousse. The Riesling was fruity and didn’t have the attribute excessive acidity of a German Riesling. The alcohol was a bit too current within the final two reds, most likely resulting from local weather change. When you like Pinot Noir from California, then you’ll most likely just like the Poggio della Buttinera. The straightforward however very nice Campo dei Ciliegi Barbera we had with lunch was my favourite crimson.
Our third and final cease in Oltrepò Pavese was on the Consorzio Tutela Vini Oltrepò Pavese, the affiliation of wine makers of the area. The director Carlo Veronese offered a complete overview of the wine area, naturally with accompanying wines. OP has 13,800 hectares of vineyards. The realm used to have the ability to worth amount over high quality, promoting giant portions to individuals from Milan from tanks fairly than in bottles. Like the opposite wine areas in Italy, OP has now made the transfer from amount to high quality, as persons are consuming much less wine than earlier than. Lots of the wines in OP are nonetheless tailored to the standard fatty meals of the area like salami, sausage, and cheese, that go effectively with glowing wines that clear the palate. Glowing wines have been produced right here because the mid nineteenth century; for the final 50 years or so additionally nonetheless wines.
The wines we tasted have been:
- Oltrenero 2017, OP Pinot Nero Metodo Classico DOCG Brut Nature, aged 52 months on the lees
- Defilippi Crocetta OP Pinot Grigio DOC 2020
- Casteggio Rusan, OP Pinot Grigio Rosato DOC 2020
- Il Molino di Rovescala 2021, Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese Frizzante, 100% Croatina
- Quaquarini Ughetta di Canneto 2021 Provincia di Pavia IGT, 100% Ughetta di Canneto, which is similar grape as Vespolina from Alto Piemonte
- Fiamberti Il Cacciatore 2020 Buttafuoco DOC, 60% Croatina, 30% Barbera, 5% Uva Rara, 5% Ughetta di Canneto, aged 18 months in wooden, a full-bodied crimson with fairly some tannins, nonetheless a bit younger, received tre bicchieri from Gambero Rosso this 12 months
- Tenuta Mazzolino Noir 2018, Pinot Nero dell’OP DOC
- Quaquarini Sangue di Giuda dell’OP DOC 2021, 65% Croatina, 25% Barbera, 10% Ughetta di Canneto, candy and barely glowing, solely 6% alcohol by quantity
The wines are nice worth, as an example the Sangue di Giuda is 8 euros and the Buttafuoco 14 euros.
There was additionally meals with the wines, as an early dinner earlier than our bus journey to Franciacorta. The antipasti included native Salame di Varzi DOP, coppa (cured pork shoulder) from the Valle di Staffora, and native cheeses. There was additionally risotto made with Bonarda and sausage. A number of the wines, particularly the Ughetta di Canneto, improved when paired with the standard meals.
This concluded our go to to Oltrepò Pavese. Developing: Franciacorta.
