Oltrepò Pavese- an Undiscovered Italian Wine Region

ItaliAndrea
Nov 10
2 min read

Oltrepò Pavese, despite being relatively obscure, is the third largest producer of pinot noir (pinot nero in Italian) in Europe, following the renowned regions of Burgundy and Champagne. Is it possible that this charming Italian wine region, known for its high-quality wines, remains largely undiscovered? Absolutely, and here are our top 3 wineries to visit!

Oltrepò Pavese primarily produces wines from pinot noir and now riesling, although many regional varieties are also still cultivated. They create high-quality sparkling wines using the metodo classico method. This is the same technique used to produced Champagne with the secondary fermentation occurring in the bottle. It's expensive and labor-intensive, but it yields superior results. Additionally, the region produces single-variety riesling and pinot noir wines.

Conte Vistarino

The Conte Augusto Giorgi di Vistarino is responsible for bringing pinot noir shoots from France and planting them in Otrepò Pavese in 1850. A tradition of pinot noir and metodo classico sparkling was born. Conte Vistarino first learned winemaking techniques in Champagne and then in Burgundy. Today, the estate produces various pinot noir still wines, several sparkling and also still wines from the riesling grape.

Tenuta Travaglino

Travaglino was also an early adopter in producing pinot noir-based sparkling wines in Oltrepò Pavese. The original building on the estate is a former monastery. They currently produce several metodo classico sparkling wines, whites (mainly riesling), and reds (mainly pinot noir).

Tenuta Le Fracce

The stunning estate at Le Fracce was originally a convent and later became the residence of the late Fernando Bussolera and his wife, Lina Branca. As they had no heirs to carry on the family business, Bussolera established a foundation to safeguard the estate's legacy and the agricultural heritage of Oltrepò Pavese.