📍 Oltrepò Pavese

Oltrepò Pavese ("Pavia's beyond the Po") is a historic area in the south of the province of Pavia in Lombardy, south of the River Po. It is the largest wine zone in Lombardy and one of the biggest in Italy, and its main specialty is Pinot Noir. The area is part of the Lombardy wine region.

The best-known red is Bonarda, made from the Croatina grape; it is fruity, usually not sweet, and often lightly sparkling. The same Croatina gives Buttafuoco, a more austere red made only in a small part of the north of the district, and the sweet Sangue di Giuda ("Judas' blood"). Barbera and the rare Uva Rara also grow here, along with the whites Rhine Riesling and Italian Riesling, and Pinot Grigio.

A special pride is the sparkling wine made by the classic method, as in Champagne: it is made mainly from Pinot Noir with some Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Grigio and carries the top DOCG category. Pinot Noir also gives a pink sparkling wine called Cruasé.

The hills of Oltrepò warm up well, and the vineyards lie close to the city of Pavia, from which this whole "beyond the Po" part of the province takes its name.