SanMichele ai Pianoni
The boutique winery of the Pinot Noir
The boutique winery of the Pinot Noir
The vineyards at SanMichele ai Pianoni are located in the heart of the Oltrepo Pavese (Lombardy), south of the Po river, almost exactly at 45º latitude N. As the name suggests, the location is on the flat part ("Pianoni") of a plateau at 350/400 metres above sea level, with most of the 8 hectares of vineyards faced south- to south-west and with a very favourable climate, due in particular to the daily temperature variations. The soil is particularly suitable for Pinot Noir and some aromatic varieties, such as Muscat and Malvasia.
All the wines at SanMichele ai Pianoni are produced from grapes grown within the estate. The greatest care is given to the vineyard, applying and perfecting the tradition and the experience of a family involved in agriculture for generations. The vines, about 4.000/hectare, are all trained with guyot expallers and are short-pruned, with individual bunches thinned manually. All the fields in the estate are kept under grass in order to prevent soil erosion. Chemical treatments are banned and the grapes are organically grown, in compliance with the very restrictive protocol negotiated with the regional authorities. When time comes, individual grapes are selected and harvested by hand, then immediately brought to the cellar under low temperature, so as to bring out only the best quality.
The cellar is equipped with advanced technology, quality protocols and security regulations, such as HACCP, are strictly applied during the whole production cycle. The grapes are soft-pressed and the entire winemaking process is conducted in steel barrels at a controlled temperature. The barrels are saturated with inert gases in order to maintain the freshness and flavour of the maturing wines, and the key parameters are frequently controlled by a certified laboratory. The red wines undergo a maturing cycle in wood for 18-24 months. Bottling is done after microfiltration and in a controlled atmosphere, with a fully automated bottling machine.
