VINEYARD | There is a very simple reason that has led for so many years Italy's major sparkling wine wineries to shop in the Versa Valley. Here, Pinot Nero grapes are a cut above. They combine freshness, salinity and structure. We are in Lombardy, Oltrepò Pavese, in the province of Pavia. Beyond the Po River, the hillsides are entirely planted with vines. The Versa Valley marks the eastern border of Oltrepò, and the grapes for this cuvée come from several estate plots between 250 and 450 meters above sea level. Perfect phenolic compounds, great acidity, low pH, balanced alcohol content and mineral verve.
PEOPLE | Metodo Classico is the mania of Matteo Bertè, born in 1985. "In the 1970s, my dad and uncle already provided Berlucchi with grapes. We took over the work in 2006, with the first vintage in 2017. Today we produce 20,000 bottles of Metodo Classico pas dosè." Matteo graduated at the University of Piacenza and had many experiences in Italy and abroad: Valenza, Montpellier, Bordeaux, and Santiago de Chile, where he met his wife. He has now returned to base, at the winery located in Broni, to put himself out there. The objective? Bringing about a radical change to the family winery, founded in 1895.
WINE | Thrill. This is what we feel when the Versa Valley is in great shape. An electric thrill that is achieved through the balance between freshness, salinity and structure. And here the structure is certainly not lacking. It opens ripe, rich, and ample on creamy tones of raspberries, brioche and balsamic undertones. Energetic mouthfeel, sketching a complex and very pleasant texture. There is all the tension of the Versa Valley, featuring a sharp and savory finish.
