Oltrepò Pavese is the focus of this month’s #ItalianFWT group. As host, I wrote a long post about the region here. I discovered the region many years ago through a friend. He was obsessed with a winery called Mazzolino. At the time, I was not sure which winery he was speaking about. It was 1997 and I was taking my first Italian wine class in Milan.

Mazzolino is a very known and historic estate. The Braggiotti family bought the Mazzolino Estate in 1980, They have thirty hectares of land in the hills, twenty of which are vineyards. They grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Croatina, and Moscato. With a favorable microclimate, clay and slightly calcareous soils, northeast and northwest exposure for their vineyards which are on hill sides, Mazzolino has it all. They also have low yields per hectare and naturally grassing over the vineyards. With severe pruning and the absence of chemical fertilizers in the vineyard, they are in good shape when brought in.

Mazzolino was everything my friend mentioned I discovered and so is the region in general. It’s time to go discover it on your own terms but a friend’s recommendations always help.

Join us this Saturday, February 5th at 11:00am ET on Twitter for a lively discussion about the region and the wines. You can find us by following the hashtag #ItalianFWT. See you there.

In the meantime, check out these amazing posts by my fellow virtual travelers to Oltrepo’.

Payal of  Keep the Peas shares Just Now Discovering Oltrepò Pavese

Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla adds Second Pours of Oltrepò Pavese Wines with Braised Short Ribs and Puff Pastry”

Linda from My Full Wine Glass brings “Flying under the radar with an Oltrepò Pavese sparkling rosé”

Terri from My Good Life dishes about “Stone Crabs with Oltrepò Pavese.”

Martin from Enofylz showcases “A Taste Of The Unsung Wines of Oltrepò Pavese”

Deanna from Winevore posts “Wine for the Priest! The Blood of Judas from Oltrepo Pavese, Italy”

Jeff from Food Wine Click! waxes about the “Surprising Wines of Oltrepò Pavese”

Rupal from Syrah Queen post “Oltrepò Pavese Wines -One of Italy’s Best Kept Secret”

Gwendolyn from Wine Predator showcases “2 Pinot Nero from Oltrepo’ Pavese with Polenta, Taleggio”

David from Cooking Chat reflects on “Tasting and Pairing with Oltrepo’ Pavese Wines” 

Wendy from A Day In the Life On The Farm checks out “Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna paired with Oltrepo Pavese Wine”

Liz from What’s In That Bottle? suggests we “Check Out “the Other Side of the Pó” for Tasty Italian Wines “

Jennifer from Vino Travels adds “Pinot Nero in Abundance in the Oltrepò Pavese”

Lisa from The Wine Chef writes “Off The Beaten Path: Oltrepò Pavese, A Wine Region to Know About.”

and here at Avvinare.com I wrote about “Wine Treasures To Be Found in Oltrepò Pavese.’”