The oenological wealth of Oltrepò Pavese

The Oltrepò Pavese is a vast area where vineyards have been cultivated since time immemorial.
It is traversed by the 45th parallel, a latitude known as‘the wine line‘ because it coincides with areas highly renowned for viticulture, such as Bordeaux in France: in fact, this strip of earth has extremely favourable climatic conditions for viticulture. Of course, the quality of the wine then depends on the craftsmanship of the producers, and in the case of the Cantine dell’Oltrepò Pavese, the craftsmanship is of the highest level.

Cover image of the Zerbosco website

The wine numbers in Oltrepò Pavese

🏺2000 years and more is the age of the Oltrepò Pavese viticultural history

The Oltrepò Pavese is the largest wine growing area in Lombardy and also the most important sparkling wine area in Italy.

🩷2009: the year Cruasé, the Champenoise Method sparkling rosé wine from Oltrepò Pavese, made exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes, was launched.

Oltrepò Pavese has 1 DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) and 7 DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata).

The oenological wealth of Oltrepò Pavese

As you can see, we are talking about an area rich in oenological excellence.

The Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG was approved in 2007.

What are the Oltrepò Pavese DOCs?

• Oltrepò Pavese, 1970
• Oltrepò Pavese Pinot Grigio, 1970
• Pinot Nero dell’Oltrepò Pavese, 1970
• Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese, 2010
• Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese, 2010
• Casteggio, 2010
• Sangue di Giuda dell’Oltrepò Pavese, 2010

Let’s learn more about some Oltrepò Pavese wines

Many grape varieties are grown on these hills and many wines are made from them.

Bonarda is certainly one of the area’s best-known wines. It is a red wine, both sparkling and non-sparkling, although the sparkling version is more widespread and mainly promoted by producers participating in the #lamossaperfetta project.
In the bottles of sparkling Bonarda produced by these cellars, all that is typical of the Croatina grape comes to life, creating a wine with characteristic hints of red berries, violets and pepper.
Iconic is the purple foam resulting from the natural refermentation of the wine by the action of yeasts, without the addition of carbon dioxide.
The paternity of the project is from the Distretto del Vino di Qualità dell’Oltrepò Pavese (Quality Wine District of the Oltrepò Pavese ) based in Torrazza Coste, in the hamlet of Riccagioia.

Another wine with a long tradition is Sangue di Giuda, one of the few red dessert wines in the world, which you should especially taste with jam tarts with berries, blackberries, plums, cherries. The combination is top notch!

Buttafuoco is a full-bodied red wine, and even more valuable is Buttafuoco Storico, a wine of exceptional quality that has its own consortium: the Club del Buttafuoco Storico.

Pinot noir is a noble grape variety used in sparkling as well as non-sparkling and semi-sparkling wines; it is vinified in white, red and rosé, while pinot gris is a non-sparkling or semi-sparkling white wine.

Other typical wines such as Barbera (also Riserva) which is a red wine, the whites Riesling (also Riserva), Cortese, Pinot bianco, Malvasia and Moscato are just some of the many wines this extraordinary country has to offer to the palate of wine lovers.

Marchese Adorno – Barbera | Quaquarini Wines – Bonarda | Cantina Francesco Maggi | Vanzini Wine – Sangue di Giuda | Frecciarossa – Pinot Nero | Tenuta Le Fracce – Riesling | Ballabio – Spumante Farfalla Extra Brut | Roccapietra – Cruasé | Poggio Alessi – Moscato di Volpara

Local food and wine pairings

While the wines from the Oltrepò are loved when tasted on their own, it is clear that pairing them with food can add value. Combining food and wine, especially when it comes to local dishes, is always an interesting experience and the restaurants, trattorias and osterias encountered in the Oltrepò Pavese know how to bring out the best in dishes and glasses. 🍽️🍷

Are there any examples?

• Spumante Rosé or sparkling Bonarda with the world-famous Salame di Varzi: a triumph of flavour;
• a sparkling wine with a soft, warm cotechino: a very successful combination;
• Riesling is excellent with Nusat, the savoury pumpkin pie;
• Pinot Noir is perfect for a risotto with porcini mushrooms;
• Bonarda and risotto with sausage are a typical combination;
• Barbera and polenta with braised beef warm the stomach and heart in the winter months;
• Buttafuoco and stewed ravioli are an excellent combination;
• Buttafuoco Storico goes perfectly with a piece of meat;

Over to the desserts …

• Sweet Muscat and traditional brasadé doughnuts round off each meal,
• the Sangue di Giuda ( Judas ‘ Blood) with castagnaccio, ending with a tasty and delicious dessert.

The wineries in our beautiful hills not only offer tastings on their estates, but also organise suggestive picnics and dinners in the vineyard, tours of the wine production facilities and vineyards, and various events in the beautiful villages of the Oltrepò Pavese throughout the year.

These are food and wine journeys you should take again and again, because each time they enchant with intoxicating aromas, with colours more intense than canvases and with unique flavours that release sip after sip.