Cantine Valpane

Spectacular ruins of a Roman pillar were dug up in the vineyards in 2000, sculpted out of the local limestone ‘pietra di Cantoni’. Cantine Valpane of Ozzano Monferrato with its vineyards & crops was first documented/mapped in 1794, but it wasn’t until 1902 that Pietro Arditi’s medical/veterinario family from Torino bought this Monferrato Casalese cascina of 24ha (10.5ha vineyards), installing state-of-the-art cement tanks in the 1930s. The first commercial label appearing in 1991, when Pietro joined his zia Lydia, who actively managed the estate until her mancanza in 2002, having taken over from her father & fondatore Pietro Giuseppe Arditi (“Giuspin”). 

The cascina lies on the breezy coll that effectively links Monte Rosa & Cervinia with the Ligurian Alps & Genova, on the crossroads of four comuni: Cellamonte, Sala Monferrato, Treville, & Ozzano Monferrato. The terreno here is a ‘caotico complesso‘ of marne sant’agata fossili & argilla at circa 260m asl; the Grignolino vines lying on the marne sant’agata soils, while the Freisa favours the ‘pietra di Cantoni’ limestone soils. The name of the vineyard is ‘Euli’, after the German for owl, as Pavia nearby was the capital of the (German) Longobardo kingdom during the Middles Ages. The 10.5ha made up of Barbera, Grignolino, & Freisa. Pietro has always farmed organically, as he consumes his own produce, & maintains a beautiful prato/meadow in the heart of the natural anfiteatro.

In their fine 18th century, naturally insulated cellar, Pietro uses cement & stainless steel for vinification, giving the wines plenty of time in bottle prior to release. He makes one, 100% Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese, two or three Barbera del Monferrato (Superiore), & a fine Freisa del Monferrato. His Barbera del Monferrato Superiore ‘Valpane’ is blended with 15% Freisa, & is the only wine that sees oak.