the oltrepo pavese

‘The Oltrepo Pavese (the portion of Pavia across the River Po) is a triangle of land laying south of the Po in the Pavia province of the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It’s a blend of fertile valley floor and stonier hillsides, rising to its highest point at Monte Lesima in the far south of the region in the Ligurian Appennines, at 5860ft elevation.

This is actually one of the rare parts of northern Italy whose wine history does not start with the Romans. The Po River Valley up into Lombardy was actually settled centuries earlier by the Greeks, who established colonia in the region. Wines produced here were traded with the Etruscans living along the Arno further south.

Part of Roman territory from late Republican era until the fall of the Empire in 476, the region was then organized under the invading Lombards, a Germanic tribe who established their capital at Pavia; and the Lombards began the process of extending their territory south of the Po. In the 8th Century, Charlemagne incorporated it into his Empire and after his death it became part of the midde of the three kingdoms created as divisions of the Empire (named Lotharingia after Charlemagne’s son Lothair, giving us the name of Lorraine in France; the other two being Francia Occentalis (West Frankland, France) and Francia Orientalis (East Frankland, Germany), and whose king also held the Imperial title. From the Lombard age, Pavia, then capital of the kingdom, began to extend its area of influence to the south of the Po.

The current borders of Oltrepò Pavese date back to 1164, when the emperor Frederick I donated the entire territory to the city of Pavia, his ally against the Lombard League. In 1359, Pavia and the Oltrepò fell, under the control of the Visconti, rulers of Milan. It remained part of the Duchy of Milan, until 1743, when the Duchy was annexed to the expanding Kingdom of Sardinia, later the Kindgom of Sardinia-Piedmont, which renamed itself the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

Climate & Terroir

Sandwiched between the Alps and the Apennines and with the influence of the upper Po, the Oltrepo Pavese has a pretty diverse climate, but can generally be described as “cool continental.” Soils are equally diverse, but there is a predominance of limestone marl which gives rise to this district as a significant growing region for Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), in fact ahead of Burgundy and second only to Champagne.

Other grapes traditional in the area include Barbera, Croatina, Uva Rara and Vespolina.

Azienda Fiamberti

Fiamberti is one of the oldest wineries in Lombardy. Founded in 1814 by Giovanni Fiamberti with the purchase of the Solenga vineyard in the village of Canneto Pavese, the family is now on its 8th generation working the lands and the cellars.

Fiamberti owns lands in several vineyards around the village of Canneto Pavese. Vineyards are kept in green cover between the vines. No herbicides or chemical fertilizers are used. Soils are lime-rich and they drape across hillsides between 600 and 750 ft elevation.

The family produces three of the most classic wines of the Oltrepo Pavese- full-bodied reds in the Buttafuoco DOC, Sangue di Giiuda DOC (a sweet, lightly sparkling red) and the Methode Champenoise Pinot Noir Rose DOCG for which the Oltrepo is famed.

Buttafuoco is a great red wine produced from a blend of indigenous vines; Croatina, Barbera, Uva Rara and sometimes the extremely rare Ughetta di Canneto. It is unique to the so-called spur of Stradella, a ridge separating the rivers Versa and Scuropasso. The territory extends over just seven communes of eastern Oltrepò Pavese, covering an area of ​​about 5,200 acres.

In 1996, eleven winemakers in the region founded the Club Buttafuoco Storico, dedicated to producing the finest possible versions of the wine from the best vineyards, under tightly controlled conditions. Fiamberti was a founding member of the group, and continues to produce two Storico wines from its ancient vineyards Sacca del Prete and Solenga.

Want to learn more? (Gambero Rosso, July 2022)

The wines

Sangue di Giuda “Lella” is a semi-sparkling red dessert wine produced from Croatina (65%), Barbera (25%) and Uva Rara (10%), grown at about 800ft. These grapes are the same of the full-bodied reds of the region: so, even if Sangue di Giuda is a light, sweet fruity wine, it still retains a bit of structure. The fermentation is purposely stopped early to get a high residual sugar and a low alcohol degree. Lella icomes from Giulio’s nickname for his wife, Antonella.

Buttafuoco “Il Cacciatore” is a blend of Croatina (60%), Barbera (30%), Uva Rara (5%) and Ughetta di Canneto (5%), from the estates vineyards in the villages of Canneto Pavese, Castana e Stradella, situated at about 800-900 ft elevation and facing southward. The grapes are hand-harvested, then vinified in temperature-controlled cement vats prior to finishing in oak for about 18 months, then another 12 in bottle before release. Tight, focussed and ageworthy.

Buttafuoco Storico Vigna Solenga is a blend of Croatina (60%), Barbera (30%), Ughetta di Canneto (5%) and Uva rara (5%). Hand harvested, fermented and aged for 30 months in a single oak barrel (a Club Buttafuoco Storico requirement- no cross-cask blending is permitted). Intense ruby ​​red color; complex and elegant bouquet with notes of brandied red fruit, spices and balsamic hints; the mid-palate is clean, bright and focussed. Pair with game meats or aged cheeses. 240 cases produced annually.

The Buttafuoco Storico Storico Vigna Sacca del Prete, Fiamberti's flagship wine, is a wine for aging. A joint vinification of Croatina (65%), Barbera (25%), Uva Rara (5%) and Ughetta di Canneto (5%), it ages slowly in oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years.
It pairs perfectly with rich red meat and game dishes. It is best served in a large balloon glass at room temperature, and when young benefits from decanting. 240 cases produced annually.