Otrepò Pavese Classese: tasting through a large range of these impressive Pinot Noir-based sparkling wines from northwest Italy
I’ve been to a lot of wine regions around the world, but I’m yet to visit the scenic Oltrepò Pavese region in the northwest of Italy. It’s part of Lombardy, and buts up against the Apennine mountains, hence there are hills and some altitude. It’s neighboured by Piemonte, Liguria and Emilia Romagna.
Still wines are made here, but the focus of this tasting was Classese, traditional method sparkling wines from Pinot Noir. The tasting was organized for the Consorzio by Nelson Pari and Federico Moccia.
Currently the region produces fewer than 1 million bottles, compared with Franciacorta which makes 20 million of traditional method sparkling. But this has been growing quite fast, with a production of 400 000 bottles two years ago, then 600 000 a year ago, currently 800 000 and then probably 1 million next year.
Riccardo Binda, who is the director of the Consorzio, says that it’s not unrealistic to expect a future production level of 5 million bottles, depending on the market. Currently, the largest producer in the region makes 150 000 bottles.
The rules for Otrepò Pavese Classese are that the wine must be from Pinot Noir and spend at least two years on the lees. This is the only region with exclusively Pinot Noir traditional method sparkling in Italy.
There are four towns in the region at the end of each valley, and 40 villages. Wine is made from vineyards at altitudes ranging from 200-600 m. Of the 150 wine producers in the region, 45 make sparkling. Just two producers in the region specialize solely in sparkling.
Classese is on par with the best Blancs de Noirs in the world, says Riccardo. Traditional method sparkling has been made here since 1865. The reason we haven’t heard more about these wines is that the best grapes and wines have typically ended up in other regions, such as Piemonte. ‘What we are trying to do now is give it the place that it deserves in the world of sparkling,’ he says. ‘It is the only region that focuses just on sparkling Pinot Noir.’
We began with a blind tasting of six bottles. We weren’t told anything about what they were: I assumed they were all Oltrepò Pavese, but it turned out to be a mix of Oltrepò and Pinot Noir-based Champagnes, and the Champagnes were all in magnum. These are my notes as written.
Champagne Bollinger PN AYC21 France
12.5% alcohol. Fresh and bright with some toasty richness. Lovely depth to this, with marzipan, honey, nuts and spice supplying richness. And cherry and lime with a hint of salt on the finish. Juicy with lovely energy. 95/100
Monsupello Blanc de Noirs Clasese NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
13% alcohol. Lovely depth here with nice zesty lime, some toasty notes and some subtle nuttiness. Ripe with a slight herby edge to the cherry and apple fruit. Very stylish. 93/100
Ballabio Farfalla Cave Privée Vecchie Vigne 2018 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Expansive with lovely cherry and pear fruit as well as a hint of apple. Nice lemony notes. Linear and precise with nice energy and good focus to the fruit. Stylish with nice presence and a savoury twist. Good balance. 92/100
Champagne Philipponnat Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2019 France
12.50% alcohol. Zesty and vivid with intense citrus fruit drive as well as some cherry notes. Lively with a salty lick. Real precision and focus showing lovely cherry fruit. 93/100
Champagne Fleury BdN Extra Brut NV France
12.50% alcohol. Juicy and bright with nice presence and some orange peel and lemon zest notes, as well as some cherry. Nice texture and presence. 93/100
Calatroni Poggio dei Duca 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
48 months on lees. Toast and lemon on the nose. Nice appley richness, with lemon and lime fruit. Has real depth of fruit. Such depth here: rich but well balanced. 94/100
Then it was time to taste through a broad selection of Classese wines.
Bruno Verdi Vergomberra Dosage Zero 2012 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. This winery started making traditional method sparkling in 1985, which was right at the beginning for the region. Taut and focused with lovely cherry and almond notes, showing nice depth with a hint of melon. Lime, pit and cherry notes. This is linear with nice depth and a salty finish. 93/100
Bosco Longhino Casto 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12% alcohol. Juicy and bright with nice freshness. Lovely pure lemon and green apple fruit, with nice presence. There’s a hint of pithiness, too. Stylish. 90/100
Brandolini I Ger 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
11.5% alcohol. Juicy and energetic with nice pear and peach fruit, showing some saline notes and nice energy. Lemony and dense, and quite expressive with a nice acid line. Good weight and focus, with some glace cherry notes. 93/100
Bruno Verdi Vergomberra Dosage Zero 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Linear with bice juiciness, and pear and white peach fruit, with some spicy depth. Toast, cherry and peach richness, but it’s also juicy and energetic, with a nice bitter twist on the finish. 92/100
Ca’del Gè Brut 2018 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Crystalline citrus with some pear and peach richness. Toasty and refined with real finesse. 92/100
Ca’Tessitori LB9 Dossagio Zero NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Juicy and lemony with with nice cherry and citrus fruit. Supple with nice energy and good acidity. Pithy and bright. 91/100
Castello di Cigognola Cuvée dell’Angelo 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Supple, bright and pure with nice acidity. Fresh cherry notes with good focus and a touch of apple and pear. 91/100
Cavallotti Riserva del Fondatore Classese 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12% alcohol. Juicy, pithy and bright with nice pure cherry and citrus fruit. Zesty and alert with a nice salty twist. 90/100
Conte Vistarino Pinot Nero Extra Brut 1865 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Supple and bright with nice energy. Has subtle toast and spice wiyh lovely brightness, and a nice saline, herby twist. 93/100
Cordero Brut Millesimato 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Grapey and fresh with nice aromatics. Juicy and grapey with nice brightness. Fruity with a hint of almond. Tart finish. 90/100
Corte Fabbri Elena 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Lively and aromatic with bright citrus fruit. Juicy and herby, and quite expressive. 90/100
Fiamberti Caristoro Extra Brut NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Fine toast, spice and cherries with nice precision. Juicy and bright with some herbal detail. Very expressive with a saline twist. Pure. 93/100
Finigeto 2005 Pas Dosé 2022 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Juicy, bright, fresh and vivid with nice energy. Lemony with a salty finish. Bright, juicy and alert. 91/100
Fradé Dasdot Pas Dosé 2019 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Warm and herbal with nice sweet pear and cherry fruit, as well as some toasty depth. Expressive. 88/100
Frecciarossa Pinot Nero Extra Brut 2022 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Toast, pear and spice as well as white peach and cherry fruit. Nice richness here. Pretty and expressive with sweet fruit and lovely balance. 92/100
Giorgi 1870 T.O.P. Zero Classese NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Linear and bright with nice freshness. Pithy with a herby edge to the angular citrus and cherry fruit. 89/100
Il Feudo Nico Maria Antonietta Classese 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12% alcohol. Juicy and zesty with nice bright herb-scented cherry fruit. Juicy and lively with a touch of sweetness. Zippy and delicious. 90/100
Isimbarda Dosaggio Zero NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Fresh, bright and pithy with lemon and cherry fruit as well as some nice pear richness. Juicy and linear. Pure. 90/100
Rossetti & Scrivani Bland de Noir NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
Juicy and bright with some pear and cherry fruit, as well as a hint of toast. Nice weight with lovely depth. 92/100
La Genisia Centodieci Nature 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Nice herby cherry and pear fruit with appealing orange peel and mandarin notes. There’s a nice savoury twist here with good energy. Supple and delicious. 90/100
La Piotta Riva dei Ghiaioni Pas Dosé 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Juicy and bright with nice citrus, pear and apple fruit. Lovely concentration. Juicy with nice finesse, and a slight bitter cherry note on the finish. 89/100
La Travaglina Martinburgo Classese 2018 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Fresh, toasty and fine with some pithy notes as well as nice pear and peach fruit, with a hint of apple. Lovely focus and freshness here, with a nice hint of pithiness. 92/100
Le Fiole Isabèl Brut 2022 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Nice subtle toast and pear, as well as bright citrus. There’s a touch of cherry, too. This shows nice depth and intensity. 92/100
Lozza Blanc de Noir Pinot Noir Dossagio Zero 2018 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Supple with nice cherry fruit and some almond hints. Juicy and bright with good weight. Supple, juicy and quite salty. 89/100
Manuelina 137 Classese Brut 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Compact with nice citrus and pear fruit as well as some orange peel. Zesty and bold with cherry and a lick of salinity. Nice brightness and purity. 92/100
Marchesi di Montalto Costagrossa Extra Brut 42 Mesi 2016 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Complex and bright, and pithy. Shows nice cherry and pear fruit with a hint of bitterness. Nice precision here with some toast and honey, showing lovely weight. 92/100
Mazzolino Blanc de Noir 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.50% alcohol. Nicely focused with bright cherry and lemon fruit. Pure and linear with lovely focus. Bright. 91/100
Montelio 17 Fiorile 1803 Extra Brut Classese 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% Juicy, bright and zippy with nice linear citrus fruit. Pure and crisp with a touch of cherry and an appealing salty twist. Very stylish. 93/100
Oltrenero Pinot Nero Brut Nature 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.6% alcohol. Juicy and bright with nice freshness and a slight salty twist, with nice pithy hints. Shows real precision: very expressive. 92/100
Picchi Brut Nature Classese 2022 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
13% alcohol. Linear and focused with nice brisk cherry and lemon fruit. Zippy with good acidity and a pleasant bitter twist on the finish. Stylish. 90/100
Prime Alture Io Per Te Classese 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Sweet fruit with nice cherry and pear, with some brightness. Slight salty twist. Some herbs, with lovely focus, finishing sweet. 89/100
Quaquarini Classese Pinot Nero Brut 2019 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Lively and focused, with pure citrus fruit. Nice cherry notes and some toast and pear too. This combines richness and freshness to good effect. 91/100
Scuropasso Roccapietra Zero Classese 2020 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
13% alcohol. 60 months on lees, from this sparkling-only estate. Juicy and bright with taut cherry and pear fruit, showing nice precision. Lime and sour cherry, with some pithy hints. 91/100
Cantina Taia Blanc de Noir Classese 2022 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Pithy and alert with a touch of reduction. There’s a herby edge to the pithy citrus and cherry fruit. Creamy notes, too. 88/100
Torre Degli Alberi Pas Dosé 2021 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Juicy and lemony with detail. Liquorice and herbs complement the appealing lemony fruit. Saline with nice depth. 93/100
Travaglino Vincenzo Comi Reserva del Fondatore 2017 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Fine, toasty and refined with nice weight to the sweet pear and white peach fruit, with a touch of cherry fruit and a hint of sweetness. 91/100
Vanzini Aiace Brut NV Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Notes of pear and peach, with zesty citrus and a touch of sour cherry. 84/100
La Versa Principio Testarossa 2008 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Open apple and pear with a touch of marmalade. Linear and saline with hints of toast, peach and pear, with real precision. Lovely weight. 93/100
La Versa Testarossa Metodo Classico 1990 Oltrepò Pavese, Italy
12.5% alcohol. Surprisingly fresh, and very complex, with a hint of mushroom as well as crystalline citrus fruit. Notes of toast, wax, pith and pear, with some peach. This is in a lovely place with nice depth. Still very fresh with a savoury twist. 93/100
