Terre d’Oltrepo Sansaluto (Oltrepo Pavese)
The little known region of Oltrepo Pavese is a bump on the plain 60kms south of Milan. There was one major player in town. It’s fair to say Cantina di Casteggio was bigger than any other winery we had worked with. Much bigger. A Co-op which began in 1907 and by 2006 had 350 members and a massive facility: part run-down fascista-style, part space age. Try as we might, we just couldn’t resist the wines. Impressive across the whole range. The Cantina was very switched-on and started a ‘quality project’ with their best 50 growers, bringing in famous Italian consultant Riccardo Cotarella. They must have been looking over his shoulder during his visits as the entire range went from strength to strength.
Although it was already the biggest winery we had worked with it didn’t stop there. In 2008 they ‘merged’ with another Cantina in Broni, the next town and, in 2017, began to ‘absorb’ La Versa, a century-old Cantina Sociale, specialising in sparkling wine. The combined group now has 700 members spread across 28 villages, 90% of them in the hills (where the quality is finer). There is nobody else to absorb or ‘merge with’ for miles around!
100% Pinot Noir, Postumio is a true Methode Champenoise, fermented and aged for 18 months in bottle. Pinot Grigio, beautifully balanced. Sauvignon in the creamy, rather than zizzy, style. Fabulous Barbera – smooth and deep. A smoky Pinot Noir and now a spicy, grapey, gently sweet, gently sparkling Moscato.
There are also two interesting local oddities, both red and both frizzante (gently sparkling); the rarely seen Bonarda, which is dry, and the Sangue di Giuda (Blood of Judas), which has a soft touch of sweetness.
Ca’ Bianche (Tirano Valtellina)
Our trip to northern Italy in late 2023 took us up into the Alps, a few metres from the Swiss border. Nebbiolo is best known as the grape of Barolo and Barbaresco but up in the mountains they make a wine called Valtellina. There’s a small family winery called Ca’ Bianche, high above the valley floor. Davide Bana, his wife Stefania, their two children, with some additional tractor help from his father Bruno. The first vintage was 2011. We were very taken with every Valtellina they make: 100% Nebbiolo, very cool, pure and silky – Rosso di Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore and Sforzato, made with grapes dried in baskets like Amarone but a little bit lighter in style.
Albani (Oltrepo Pavese) ORGANIC-NATURAL
You could argue that we already had the small winemaking zone of Oltrepo Pavese in Lombardy, south of Milan well-covered, having worked with Cantina di Casteggio for at least a decade. It was by coincidence we stumbled across Albani, a small independent, organic grower up in the hills above Casteggio, with a completely contrasting style.
There was a noisy welcome, with screaming kids and loads of people, when we arrived to taste. “Please come this way” – they had laid on a translator (very wise, as our Italian is, at best, formative). We were met by the tidal wave of energy that is Riccardo Albani, his sister Anna and, on her arm, their fully suited and booted father Erico who was born in 1928. They were all on hand to meet the “hot-shot wine merchants” from London. We really liked the wines. Certified organic for 11 years. Mainly Barbera and Riesling Renato with a little Pinot Nero, Nebbiolo and Bonarda. Old vines. No S02, no filtering. Distinctive. Characterful. Built for ageing. “We don’t want want to release them until they’re ready”, says Riccardo. Suits us. We now have, among other bottlings, their Costa del Morone 2004 on our shelves – a lush, complex, structured red from 85% Barbera with smatterings of Vespolina, Pinot Nero, Croatina, Nebbiolo and Moscato.
