It looks like the right time. In fact, the Oltrepò Pavese seems to have taken a new course, the largest wine-growing area in Lombardy (13 thousand hectares of vineyards, over 1,300 wineries for a production of about 75 million bottles), which is worth about 65% of the entire wine production. Lombard and that for years has been plastered by a high level of conflict. Conflict with various crisis situations that more than one winery has gone through and which certainly did not help a unitary and shared management of the denomination. But now the music really seems to have changed.
Oltrepò Pavese has 7 different Doc wines and has its main varieties in Pinot nero, Pinot grigio, Riesling, Barbera and Croatina from which Pinot nero, Bonarda, Buttafuoco and Sangue di Giuda are produced which are instead the main labels.
An area that for the important production of Pinot Noir (with 3 thousand hectares the largest in Italy with this vine and among the three main ones in the world) has been used for years as a reservoir of grapes for the great sparkling wine centers of Northern Italy. But that for some years has already started an intense activity of enhancement of its wines and of the link with the territory.
But every enhancement initiative can only have a starting point: quality. And it is precisely in this direction that the provision launched at the end of September by the Council of the Lombardy Region goes, with which it is planned to regulate the harvest of Pinot nero and Pinot grigio grapes for the production of the Province of Pavia Igt. For both varieties, the maximum grape yield per hectare was set at 17 tons. «A measure awaited for months – commented the Councilor for Agriculture of the Lombardy Region, Fabio Rolfi -. A qualitative leap is needed to relaunch one of the most beautiful wine-growing areas in Italy, with enormous potential in terms of enotourism ». This measure was also very positively received by the undersecretary for agricultural policies, Gian Marco Centinaio. «A provision – he said – in line with what was agreed with the trade associations and with the Oltrepò wine world during the meetings I had promoted before the summer. Cutting yields represents the first step in relaunching Oltrepò ».
Having defined the right premises, the next step is to work hard on enhancement. And on this front the first lever has been identified in wine tourism. «The exit phase from the pandemic – explained the president of the Oltrepo Pavese Consortium, Gilda Fugazza – has somehow helped us in promoting the link between products and territory. We were able to make people understand the enotourist potential of a wine-growing area which is located an hour’s drive from the center of Milan. The many initiatives but also the stage of the Giro d’Italia have helped to turn a spotlight on the Oltrepò. Now we have to move on to phase two, making our wines better known ».