The Oltrepò Pavese boasts a wine-growing history rooted in prehistory. From Etruscan techniques to the post-phylloxera revival, this land has been able to preserve and innovate its wine-growing traditions, becoming a symbol of excellence in the Italian wine scene.
Oltrepò Pavese, a region that stretches south of the river Po in the province of Pavia, has a wine history deeply rooted in time, with evidence dating back thousands of years. Inhabited since prehistoric times, this territory has seen the passage of numerous civilisations, from the Gauls and Ligurians to the Romans, who have left an indelible imprint on local culture and agriculture, particularly viticulture.
The earliest traces of vine cultivation date back to ancient times, with fossil remains proving the presence of vines as far back as prehistoric times. However, it was during the Etruscan expansion in the 6th century B.C. that viticulture in the Oltrepò Pavese took a more defined form. The Etruscans introduced the vitis sativa and implemented advanced cultivation techniques, such as long pruning on live support, which allowed local vine varieties to be selected and enhanced.
The importance of viticulture in Oltrepò Pavese is documented by historians such as Strabo, who in the 1st century BC praised the region‘s wine and large wooden barrels, attributing the invention of the latter to local craftsmen. Pliny the Elder, in the 1st century A.D., also wrote of the flourishing viticulture in the areas of Clastidium (today‘s Casteggio) and Litubium (Retorbido).
During the Middle Ages, viticulture continued to flourish under the influence of the monks of the Abbey of San Colombano in Bobbio. These monks, who had acquired wine-growing experience during a stay in Burgundy, restored and strengthened the Oltrepò wine-growing region, which had been devastated by the barbarian invasions.
The modern era saw a further evolution of viticulture in Oltrepò Pavese. Despite the phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century, which drastically reduced the number of indigenous vines, the region managed to renew itself and recover, introducing new criteria for cultivation and selection of vines. In 1912, Oltrepò sparkling wine was even advertised in New York, a sign of the international prestige that local wine-growing was acquiring.
In the 20th century, the birth of the first social wine cellars, starting with that of Montù Beccaria in 1902, marked an important step towards modernisation and cooperation among local wine growers. These cooperatives made it possible to optimise resources and increase the competitiveness of Oltrepò Pavese wines on the market, laying the foundations for the success and fame that this historic wine region enjoys today.
