Andrea Picchioni

Andrea started in 1988 with 1ha in the closed valley of Solinga in the commune of Canneto Pavese, on the ‘ghiai’ terreno of the Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardia. The region was known until the 1950s as ‘Antico Piemonte‘, due to its sedimentary, Tortonian marine sands, a continuation of those found in the Roero & Langhe, left by the retreating sea, & whose steep valleys – notably that of Val Versa – were subsequently formed by glaciers.

He began buying up old abandoned vineyards, producing his first wine Buttafuoco DOC ‘Bricco Riva Bianca’ in the same year. In 1995 he produced his first Rosso d’Asia, named after his daughter who’s now studying in Bologna, & in 2006 his first Pinot Nero ‘Arfena’, having planted the vines in 2000 at 8k plants/ha. In 2009 he made his first Metodo Classico Pinot Nero, sur lattes for 10 years & released in 2019! He now has 10ha.

Vinification is in cement & stainless steel, with affinamento in French barriques for the Pinot Nero & since 2015 15HL botte grande for the other reds. In vintage 2018 Andrea invested in a 40HL wooden tino for fermenting his ‘Bricco Riva Bianca’!

With the sad passing of his father Antonio in April 2019, & tragically that of his brother Fabrizio in 1978, Andrea has his mother Rose, nata in Stradella, wife Silvia & daughter Asia by his side.

Il territorio di Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC 

Located in the 250m asl high & steep, glacial formed sandy stony hills lying between two rivers Versa & Scuropasso of the Oltrepò Pavese, a Lombardo region in the province of the historic city of Pavia wedged between Piemente to the west & Emilia-Romagna to the east, on the edge of the Po valley. The key DOC of these hills belongs to Buttafuoco (or Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese) dates back to 7 Feb 1996 & officially to 2010, & that can be made in seven communes/villages: Canneto Pavese, Castana, Montescano, Cigognola, Pietra dè Girogi, Broni, e Stradella. The Buttafuoco zone is roughly split into three terrains: ‘Ghiaie’ (stones), then ‘Arenarie’ (sandstone), & ‘Argille’ (clays).  Buttafuoco is a traditional blend of Croatina (Bonarda), Barbera, Uva Rare, & Ughetta di Canneto, made as a vino fermo, vivace or frizzante. The name Buttafuoco comes from the dialect: “al buta me al feugh”, che significa: “scalda – risveglia come il fuoco”!