The cradle of Pinot Noir is in Oltrepò Pavese in Rocca de’ Giorgi

The municipality of Rocca de’ Giorgi extends over a medium-hilly area, in the upper part of the Scuropasso stream basin and reaches the medium-high portion of the right side of the Ghiaia stream. Its hamlets are Cerchiara-Cuccagna, Vallorsa, Villa Fornace.
It is the municipality with the smallest number of inhabitants in the Oltrepò Pavese area. However, it has an important record🥇 …

Images taken from the FAI website and Wikipedia

The evolution of the name

Its name has changed several times over time:

🟦Site of an ancient parish of the diocese of Piacenza, the village was fortified since the early Middle Ages.
Rocca di Aimerico is the toponym under which it first appeared, in the 1164 diploma with which Frederick Barbarossa removed its jurisdiction from Piacenza to hand it over to Pavia, a concession confirmed by Henry IV and Frederick II.

⬇️Il name changed to Rocca Campesana under the Pavia Campeggi family. Later, the lords of the village were the Sannazzaro family.

⬇️ When by marriage it came into the hands of Fiorello Beccaria who rebuilt the fortress, it took the name Rocca di Messer Fiorello or Roccafirella.

⬇️Nel 1629, when the Beccaria dynasty collapsed, it passed to the Giorgi family, feudal lords also of Pietra de’ Giorgi, Predalino and the Rocca di Visarno, with the investiture of 1674 in favour of Paolo Gerolamo.

P.S. His name in local dialect is Roca di Giorgi.

Images taken from the FAI website and Wikipedia

The visit

• Rocca di Messer Fiorello: at an altitude of 350 m, only the perimeter walls and the fortified castle tower in local stone and sandstone are visible
• Church of St Michael Archangel: attested as early as the 12th century, with a ceiling frescoed by the painter Rodolfo Gambini in the early 20th century. The frescoes depict the Four Evangelists and the Coronation of the Virgin Mary.

Villa Fornace

Villa Fornace is a building with rich interiors, a magnificent English garden and park designed by Achille Majnoni, personal architect to King Umberto I.
The 18th-century mansion stands on the foundations of an old brick kiln (from which it took its name) and has a U-shaped plan with symmetrical wings added in the 19th century.
Inside the villa, the rooms feature original stucco work and floors, with a double-height hall of honour and a stone balustrade.

🍊 There is also an orangery in the park, a greenhouse housing citrus plants during the winter months.
Orangeries and conservatories have always been symbols of prestige in the aristocratic and royal residences of Europe, especially in France and Italy, and they also became elegant spaces for receptions and convivial moments
This orangery will certainly have hosted cultural gatherings of elegantly dressed characters intent on listening to plays, perhaps over a cup of tea or a glass of wine 🍷…

The Wine of Rocca de’ Giorgi

🍇 Villa Fornace is owned by the Counts Giorgi di Vistarino, who have about 100 hectares of vineyards on the estate, 65 of which are dedicated to the noble grape variety, Pinot Noir. In fact, the Conti Vistarino are not only the owners of the Tenuta: they have always been the owners of a renowned winery.

🍾 In 1850, Count Augusto Giorgi Vistarino imported the first pinot noir vine shoots from France, thus starting the production of classic method sparkling wines in Oltrepò Pavese in 1865.
This is why Rocca de’ Giorgi can be considered the cradle of Pinot Noir.
Very interesting, due to its positive impact on the environment, is the ecological system adopted by the winery for the recovery and management of rainwater, which is collected in a large basin and then used to irrigate or clean the outside areas of the winery.

Villa Fornace is also home to the Conte Vistarino Museum, which houses historical documents, correspondence with Cavour and Vittorio Emanuele III, period clothing and traditional farming equipment.

Tourist facilities

In the area you can find:

• B&B Il Pozzo in Montalto Pavese.
• La Verde Sosta in Montecalvo Versiggia.
• Paradiso Restaurant in the nearby hamlet of Canevino.
• Free motor home parking area in Canevino.

Patrons and annual events

• Patronal Feast of St Michael Archangel (third Sunday in October)

Local products

• Fine wines, especially those based on pinot noir
• Dead man’s bones’ biscuits, typical November sweets to coincide with the period of commemoration of the dead.

Rocca de’ Giorgi is a small but fascinating stop for an out-of-town excursion in Oltrepò Pavese!