The fourth edition of the event organized by the Consorzio Tutela Vini Oltrepò Pavese, “Oltrepò – Land of Pinot Noir, a territory, a vine, two excellences” at the Antica Tenuta Pegazzera in Casteggio, in the province of Pavia, ended with great success, with more than 300 selected operators and a large presence of national press crowding the tasting tables with 32 companies. This year’s event, sponsored by the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Casteggio, was also the debut of the new director Riccardo Binda and the president Francesca Seralvo, who enthusiastically underlined the path of renewal undertaken by the Consortium, based on supply chain, quality and transparency.
“Today is the day of renewal, of rebirth”, the words of Francesca Seralvo, president of the Consortium, “the event we created to finally give visibility to the quality of Pinot Noir in Oltrepò Pavese is also the starting point for overcoming a name, a variety, and to start giving value to wines, grapes, vineyards. A path and a change that do not only concern the quality, already present, but the awareness of unexpressed potential. The goal is to overcome the centrality of the single vine to promote the entire territory and its denominations, with a new strategic and operational approach. We are confident that the Oltrepò Pavese of wine will finally find its way”.
The wineries participating in the fourth edition of Oltrepò – Land of Pinot Noir were: Alessio Brandolini, Bertè & Cordini, Bosco Longhino, Bruno Verdi, Cà del Gè, Calatroni, Cigognola Castle, Cavallotti, Conte Vistarino, Cordero San Giorgio, Ersaf Riccagioia, Fiamberti, Finigeto, Frecciarossa, Giorgi, La Genisia – Torrevilla, La Piotta, La Travaglina, Le Fiole, Le Fracce, Manuelina, Montelio, Monsupello, Oltrenero, Pietro Torti Agricultural Company, Prime Alture, Quaquarini Francesco, Tenuta Mazzolino, Terre Bentivoglio, Terre d’Oltrepò – La Versa, Torre degli Alberi, Travaglino.
The new director Riccardo Binda dictates the agenda for the future of Oltrepò Pavese
“Oltrepò – Land of Pinot Noir, a territory, a vine, two excellences” was also the official debut day for the new director Riccardo Binda, who expressed great emotion for the return to his land, underlining how his role will be that of a catalyst to help local producers enhance existing excellence and bring the province back to the top of the agricultural sector:
“I can only be very excited to be here, in my land, after 11 years of working in Tuscany, in Bolgheri. I can only express my warmest thanks to the president, to the Board of Directors, but also to all the producers who, not only in recent months, but also over the years, have told me in a low voice or with jokes, to return sooner or later. I have always thought about it: it could have been in years, in a few months, but it happened now for a reason. Because this is the kairòs, the right moment in which Oltrepò can truly find its turning point”.
Binda’s ideas on the new course in Oltrepò Pavese, where the cooperative world will play a decisive role, are clear:
“It is because the three assumptions on which the Consortium’s new work is based – supply chain, quality and transparency – have just now found a way to blossom. Let’s start with the supply chain, which cannot fail to pass through a fundamental reality for the territory, which is and always has been: the cooperative reality. Oltrepò is a territory of companies, but it is above all a territory of farmers and winemakers. The role of Terre d’Oltrepò was fundamental in providing the turning point that this territory needed towards the supply chain, which is the first brick, the cornerstone on which we will build all our future projects. The work of all the cooperatives, then, must go hand in hand with all that of the supply chain producers, the quality ones, who have always been there, but who need the productive fabric and the territory to emerge all together”.
Then a warning, to safeguard a territory that has often paid for the sins of a few:
“Finally transparency”, Binda’s words, “that which must allow us to shake off the shadows and dirt of a past that has not honored this territory. Even on this we will have no margin for weakness, we will not take any step back. We will do everything to move in this direction and I am also pleased to say that — I hope it will materialize as soon as possible — we are already dealing very calmly with the Repression of Fraud, which we want in the territory. We hope to have them here, because their contribution is fundamental for us: theirs, that of Valoritalia, of the institutions and of the control bodies that must be guarantors of the quality work of all producers, which must no longer be ruined by the bad work of a very few”.
And on his role, the director of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Oltrepò Pavese underlines:
“There has been a lot of talk about me in recent days, perhaps even excessively. My role, in reality, is simply that of a catalyst, I am here to help the producers and all the values that are already in the territory, that already exist. I do not bring any added value, I am not a great manager: I am simply a Consortium manager. A Consortium, by definition, is a union of destinies (with fate): the destinies of the producers, the destinies of the inhabitants of the Oltrepò, for whom viticulture must be a fundamental asset, but also of our region, of Lombardy, where today our province is fifth in terms of turnover in the agricultural sector. Certainly, if we think about the history of this province – not only viticulture, but also rice cultivation and the many excellences that exist -, our province must aspire if not to be the first, at least to return to the podium as soon as possible and that is where we hope to take it as soon as possible”.
