According to Donato Lanati, Pinot Nero from Oltrepò Pavese has the potential to become one of the great wines of the future, but only if it breaks with the past. At the conference organized at the Enoteca Regionale della Lombardia, the wine scientist outlined a clear path forward: lower yields, tailored winemaking, a select few flagship Crus, and more authentic communication to revitalize the region.
Quality First
“Focus on quality, quality, quality.” That is the message that Donato Lanati conveyed during the meeting dedicated the future of Pinot Nero from the Oltrepò Pavese region. Held at the Enoteca Regionale della Lombardia in Broni. A talk lasting over two hours – deliberately direct and free of rhetorical flourishes – during which the wine scientist put forward a thesis bound to spark debate. Pinot Nero, which many today consider a problematic grape variety, could in fact be the wine of the future.
This was a position Lanati had already hinted at in the conference announcement. Countering the climate of pessimism sweeping the wine industry, which is caught between economic difficulties, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. According to the researcher, it is precisely a grape variety as demanding as sensitive to the characteristics of the region is the one best equipped to face the challenges of the coming decades.
A challenging but unique grape variety
Lanati described Pinot Noir as a true enfant terrible. Difficult to grow, vinify, and age, yet capable of expressing a unique aromatic identity and extraordinary longevity.
The Oltrepò Pavese region, with approximately 3,000 hectares under cultivation, is Italy’s leading Pinot Noir-producing region, within a national area exceeding 8,600 hectares. This quantitative leadership, however, must – according to Lanati – be transformed into qualitative authority.
The revolution begins in the vineyard
Much of the presentation focused on the technical aspects of winemaking. Lanati explained that Pinot Nero has very distinctive phenolic characteristic. Which make it impossible to apply standardized protocols.
Each vineyard and each harvest require a specific approach. Based on scientific analysis of the grapes and a “tailor-made” winemaking process. The goal is to preserve the wine’s finest aromatic and phenolic components, avoiding any interventions that might diminish the wine’s quality.
Five Cru Wines to Compete on the World Stage
While technique is essential, for Lanati it’s not enough. You also need a Strategic choice for the region. Reducing yields, rigorously selecting grapes, and identifying four or five flagship Crus on which to focus investments and marketing efforts.
Only in this way, he argues, will the Oltrepò Pavese region be able to build a strong identity and compete with the major international Pinot Noir regions, focusing on quality rather than volume.
Starting Over from La Versa and a Shared Vision
Toward the end of his remarks, Lanati also pointed to a possible symbol of rebirth. the La Versa brand, which, in his view, could represent an important new beginning, provided it is supported by a winemaking approach grounded in scientific data, transparency, and credible communication.
The revitalization of the Oltrepò region, he concluded, also depends on the ability to work together. And to present the region through a shared vision, educating consumers to recognize the value of a Pinot Nero capable of expressing a unique identity. “It is possible to be reborn a second time, and there’s no reason why the second time shouldn’t be better than the first.”
