Calatroni, the Blues Brothers of Oltrepò Pavese

Much progress has been made since the winery was founded in 1964 by Luigi Calatroni. Cristian and Stefano Calatroni’s lovely winery is now increasingly focused on eco-sustainable choices and belief in its sparkling wine, with new Metodo Classico wines that undergo considerable ageing and research into the Versa Valley’s best crus. We are in Oltrepò Pavese, just over an hour’s drive from Milan, in the cradle of Italian pinot noir. There are two Calatroni brands: Calatroni refers to their portfolio of metodo classico wines, while Mon Carul identifies the rest of the catalogue, with an eye on Riesling.

THE WINERY IN FIGURES

30 owned hectares

130,00 bottles produced 25% export

Precisely the production of classic method cuvées has grown a lot both in terms of quality and quantity. “This year we produced 70,000 bottles of Metodo Classico, the idea is to gradually reach 120,000 units over the next 5 years. We purchased another 12 hectares, mainly of pinot noir, in Montecalvo Versiggia. Here the grapes are exposed to the east, despite increasingly hotter years, the maturation is prolonged, we never harvest grapes before the end of August and September, which yield a natural acidity of 9-10 grams per litre. And the calcareous and clayey soils accentuate minerality: in this way we can really go all in,” Stefano Calatroni tells us. In the meantime, wine tourism has also become a major area of focus. Thanks to the precious support of Elisa Nervetti, the Calatroni family is carrying steadily with inexhaustible energy. “We are working a lot on experiences in the vineyard, the harvest, in order to bring people closer to our wines. It is a type of service that is increasingly targeted and calibrated on our cellar,” adds Stefano. Returning to the production, there are many novelties in the pipeline, with an increasingly targeted work on parcel selections of great character. Poggio dei Duca has been released a couple of years ago, a Blanc de Noirs that tells the story of a single special area in the municipality of Rocca de’ Giorgi, while shortly, with the 2018 harvest, the new cru will be presented: Riva Rinetti. “It will always be a Pinot Noir,

OP

Tasting

It has everything you’d expect: aromatic finesse, pronounced aromas of raspberries and strawberries, a creaminess endowed by its fine sparkle, and notable overall com- pleteness. Tre Bicchieri!

OP M. Cl. Pinot Nero Pas Dosé Cuvée Rosé 2015

Little colour, lots of flavour. It is a refined Blanc de Noirs, with very fine perlage. On the palate it is also complex and multifaceted, just a bit saggy on the finish due to the warm vintage.

Pinot Brut 64 Metodo Classico

It is the cuvée that expresses the company style, the result of several blends of vineyards and different clones of Pinot Noir. At least 30 months on the lees for a sparkling wine that combines balsamic character, floral notes and gustatory verticality.

OP M. Cl. Pinot Nero Pas Dosé Poggio dei

Duca 2017

In its second season, the new cru from the highest parcel of pinot noir in Rocca de’ Giorgi, 550 metres above sea level, shows off a sensational performance despite the certainly not favourable vintage. It strikes us in particular for its wide, rich and delicious nose, followed by an enthralling mouth with energy and a great savoury jab. Wow.

Riesling Campo Dottore 2021 from a bank between 400 and 450 metres in the municipality of Montecalvo Versiggia. It will rest on the lees for 48 months and will be a Pas Dosé. 4,000 bottles produced.” But the ebullient brothers do not stop there, there is also a new cuvée in the pipeline produced according to the Solera Method, the result of the last 5 vintages, which will rest on the lees for about 24 months. From the tastings for our Guide, what emerges is an impressive quality of the whole battery, in particular the

We close with Riesling, another forte of the Calatroni brothers, who also produce an excellent reserve. The 2021 vintage plays on buoyant, delectable fruit. On the palate it is crisp, clean and lively.

 Calatroni – Località Casa Grande, 7 - 27047 Montecalvo Versiggia (PV) www.calatronivini.com hand of oenologist Christian, silent hard worker, who is very happy with the rosé cuvées, regularly ranking the highest scores nationwide. “He started making rosés with Nebbiolo, he brought that lesson to Pinot Noir, he doesn’t do maceration, thermal management is essential to maintain complexity and finesse. Christian has an incredible sense of self-sacrifice, he only thinks about work, his is a true vocation unlike any other,” smiles Stefano.