L’Oltrepò Pavese
The Foundations of Modern Oenology
Since the period after the Second World War, the people of Oltrepò have been associated with viticulture, cultivating traditional grape varieties, such as Croatina and Moscato, and importation varieties, such as Riesling from Germany, or Pinot from France. Sparkling wines, produced using highly technical procedures, have made the Valle Versa and its classical method ‘champenoise’ famous. These types of wines utilize the most advanced practices in the Faravelli winery.
The care for the vineyards at Bosco Longhino is oriented towards respect for the land, choosing low impact agricultural practices of the Lombardy Region Rural Development Program. In the vineyards, the rows have grass covers to protect the soil from erosion and to maintain the environment suitable for insects such as bees, butterflies, ladybirds, and for wildlife. Phytosanitary treatments are only used as protective measures, in order to prevent plant diseases, and implemented with cautious restraint. Evaluating plant protection products carefully allows us to avoid the use of products classified as ‘harmful’ or ‘toxic’.
Earth, Humanity and Sky
The Oltrepò area is not only vineyards. It is a territory of the highest environmental value, welcoming extraordinary biodiversity. Up to 94 species of birds and 53 species of butterflies can be found in the hills of Oltrepò. Protecting this special wildlife is a challenge for farmers. Faravelli take on the task striving to maintain a diverse mosaic of ecosystems: with hedges, patches of forest, grassy margins and isolated trees, all in order to preserve the habitats essential to the forms of life that are irreplaceable for the prosperity of the vines and human health.
Bosco Longhino is a part of the ‘Vigneti e Natura’ project in Oltrepò, a network of farms that have signed a voluntary vineyard management protocol discerning biodiversity friendly farming practices. Formed on the belief that wine not only concerns the quality of the winery itself, but above all the quality and beauty of the land. The partial grassing of the vineyards, and the maintenance of bordering areas for wild shrubs, are examples of practices employed. These help strengthen soil, lessen the run-off of nutrients and host insects that provide food for birds that then remove species harmful to the vine.
