Visiting Wineries in Oltrepo
Wineries that we believe you should visit...
Weather you visit one of the more prestigious cellars or the most family and farmer style one, it is always recommended to make a reservation beforehand. There is no need to book weeks ahead, but to send an e-mail, call or register on a website for a tasting minimum a day in adavance is adviseable.
If you like us to help you chose the wineries to visit or if you like us to book you a vsisit, please just let us know. When you book on your own, it's always a good idea to mention that Leo and Anja are sending you.
Wineries from prestigious to more simple...
Travaglino:
15-20 minute drive...
Definitely a winery to visit not only for the wines, but also for the ambience. After an interesting tour through their cellar, you may enjoy a tasting in a very nice tasting room. We like both, their sparkling metodo classico wines based on Pinot Noir as well as their Pinot Noir reds.
Achille is the GM and a good friend.
Mazzolino:
30 minute drive...
Located a bit outside of Casteggio, Mazzolino is a winery situated more on the lower slopes of Oltrepo. Thus an ideal location to produce Pinot Noir reds. The winery works biological and was largely influenced by the owners garndfather, who came from France and loved Burgundy. Even today their wine consultant lives in that famous French Pinot Noir growing area.
Also here we like both, their sparkling metodo classico wines based on Pinot Noir as well as their Pinot Noir reds. Don't miss trying the "Noir" and their new Blanc de Noir.
The owners name is Francesca and the soul of the place is Giuditta.
Frecciarossa:
30 minute drive...
Only a stone throw away from Mazzolino on a slight higher elavation you will find Frecciarossa winery. Mother and son are a fantastic team that works bilogical in the vineyard and with the outmost attention in the vineyard. We find their most recent vintages of Pinot Noir red wines the best that you may find in Oltrepo. Their sparkling wines are also very good, but this winery is a must for anyone that loves Burgundy reds.
Besides the tour and tastings that the winery offers, they also do events regularly, having a kitchen and a beautiful courtyard, Friday evenings are very nice to spend at Frecciarossa.
Owner Valeria with son Pietro, we adore both!
Le Fracce:
30 minute drive...
Visiting Mazzolino, Frecciarossa and Le Fracce in one day might be ambitious, but logistically very feasable, as they are all very close to each other.
While Mazzolino and Frecciarossa have definitely the quality of their wines as a focus, Le Fracce has a bit more to offer in terms of family history. Being a foundation founded by Branca (Fernet Branca family) they still showcase a bit of the times when the Brancas were still alive and used the Estate as a weekend retreat from Milano. Imagine the Brancas once had a real lion in their Estate garden.
Also if you like wine and vintage cars, Le Fracce is definitely a must visit.
Conte Vistarino:
10 - 15 minute drive...
Conte Vistarino is a winery that is owned by Contessa Vistarino. Despite her noble blood she is usually referred to by her frst name, Ottavia. A very impressive Estate with over 800 hectares of land that includes about 100 in vineyard and a lot of grain and hunting grounds.
In fact the Contessa organizes special hunting events, where the participants may also sleep in her magestic villa,
The winery is fairly new and very state of the art, probably the most modern and luxuries cellar in Oltrepo.
Besides the winery visitis that one may attend, Conte Vistarino also has a wine shop and a wine bar, where one may senjoy a glass of their many wines without a resrevation.
Owner Ottavia, soul of the winery Daniele.
Monsupello:
30 minute drive...
Mosupello is a must visit for any Champagne lover. While the winery might not be considered one of the most beautiful cellars in Oltrepo, their Metodo Classico wines are definitely the best. We would even go further and say that Monsupello is producing one of the best sparkling wines in Italy. Owner is Pierangelo, but the soul of Monsupello is Federico.
Visit one of the smaller guys:
Cantina Taia:
3 minute drive...
Very close to Villa Chloé and across on the next hillside, you may find this very small wine producer that impresses with its quality of their Pinot Noir based wines. Stefania is the owner and she started her wine production only in 2022, but her family has been taking care of many vineyards, selling grapes to the coperative for two generations.
Manuelina:
10 minute drive...
Also very close to Villa Chloé, down in the valley of Santa Maria della Versa, you may find another small wine producer that we adore. Antonio, the owner is a great friend and also Andrea, who works for him and takes care of hospitality is. Besides their excellent Pinot Noir based wines, Manuelina is special since they organize picnics in their vineyard slightly above the winery. In fact they have created their own shady picnic area and supplu their guest with a food and wine basket.
Alessio Brandolini:
20 minute drive...
Alesssio was one of the first winemakers that we visited in Oltrepo a few years ago. Since then also Alessio has become a friend. We think that his Rosé Sparkling Wine Nota d'Agosto is fantastic. Of course also Alessio works bilogically and he is the leader of a group of small Italian wine producers and thus is a great promoter for the small guys that put all their money in the quality of their product, which leaves them with no marketing.