Guido Berlucchi invests in Oltrepò and bets on Vigna Olcru’s Pinot Noir

From Franciacorta, the territory of choice for classic method bubbles, to Oltrepò Pavese, the historic gateway for Pinot Noir in Italy: Guido Berlucchi, the Franciacorta-based griffe founded in 1961 and led by the Ziliani family, expands its reach with the acquisition of Vigne Olcru, a boutique winery in Santa Maria La Versa that covers 8 hectares planted with vines, mostly Pinot Noir, the rest with Chardonnay and Moscato Bianco, from the Brambilla family. Vigne Olcru, thus, joins the other estates in the Ziliani Family Group, which includes, in addition to flagship Guido Berlucchi and boutique winery Antica Fratta in Franciacorta, Tenuta Caccia al Piano in Bolgheri, also a “laboratory” for sparkling experiments, with CaP Rosè.

“Oltrepò is an area that can give very high quality; there are 3,000 hectares planted with Pinot Noir, which has its zone of choice here. We want to have fun and try our hand in the production of bubbles from Pinot Noir in Oltrepò, with an extremely qualitative objective, starting from our know-how and credibility, through which we think we can make a positive contribution to the whole territory”, Paolo Ziliani, president of Guido Berlucchi, commented to WineNews. “Among the evaluations we have made are also the geographical and climatic aspects: this is an area close to Franciacorta, but with very different characteristics and altitudes, because in the Alta Valle della Versa we reach even above 600 meters in altitude, and it is there that we aim to grow further, trying to acquire a few more vineyards. We will start with a rosé, also because it is a growing category, and the winery will always maintain its own identity with respect to Guido Berlucchi. It is an acquisition closed in a relatively short time, because it was very important for us”, Paolo Berlucchi concludes, “to be able to directly manage this vintage and the upcoming harvest, which we have already started organizing for a couple of months, as well as all the other phases of production, the way we want it to be. Therefore, we have signed an agreement whereby, although the closing has not yet arrived, we are fully responsible for the management of this vintage: 2023 will be year zero of our management”.

“We could not find a better partner than the Ziliani Family, for the closing of this deal”, Massimiliano and Matteo Brambilla add. “We have the certainty and enthusiasm of knowing that our company will be in safe hands, that its future path and that of the whole territory will be toward excellence, to bring Oltrepò and its productions to the level of international appreciation they deserve”.

The deal was defined thanks to the professional support of Studio Cossu & Associati, in the persons of Dr. Leonardo Cossu and Dr. Riccardo Sandrini and accountant Piernatale Andreoni, and Teamwork. The deal was finalized thanks to the support of Colline e Oltre spa, a newco of Intesa Sanpaolo and Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lombardia, to carry out joint interventions for the revitalization and qualification of the wine and food and wine sector and the enhancement of the Oltrepò Pavese territory.