The Metropolitan Vineyard
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So reads the closing note of a letter that Francesco Petrarca (poet, 1304-1374), wrote to Guido, Archbishop of Genoa, on October 21, 1353, when the writer was staying as a guest of Milan's Archbishop, Giovanni Visconti, at the San Colombano Castle, currently the headquarters of the Consorzio Volontari Vini DOC San Colombano al Lambro, or the Consortium of the Volunteer for the San Colombano al Lambro DOC Wines.
The Production Rules |
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| The DOC of San Colombano al Lambro, or San Colombano, was established in 1984, and was revised in 2002 (G.U. n. 272 of November 20, 2002), defining and regulating two types of wine: | |
| ROSSO (RED): | |
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| BIANCO (WHITE): | |
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Both types may be either sparkling or still. For the red wine, a Riserva version is also allowed. |
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San Colombano, a small Milanese enclave sandwiched between the provinces of Pavia and Lodi, is located upon a hill just 40 kilometers (about 12.43 miles) south of Milan, encircled by the Lambro and Olona rivers just before both flow into the wider Po river. This is the only DOC zone in the whole province of Milan.
| The "Golden Grape" | |
Gold, as the color that Verdea grape used to turn into when it was left to wither on the vines, and the peasants would harvest it to eat with friend and family during the Christmas meal. Though it is grown in limited amounts, currently the Verdea grapes are mostly made into either white dry, fresh wines with good fruit flavor, or in sweet white varietal wines. This is a Tuscan native vine and is grown in small quantities in and around Pisa, Piacenza and the southern part of the province of Milan. In Tuscany is known as Colombana, or Colombana Bianca.
This vine is tough and resistant to illnesses and rot, but very sensitive to lack of water. The bunch is cone-shaped, or semi-pyramid-like, short, with 'wings' , medium-sized and sparse grapes, roundish, partially covered by pruina, with thick green-yellow skin that shifts toward gold when ripe. The leaf is medium-sized and has the form of a pentagon, |
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In addition to the small, ancient hamlet of San Colombano, the San Colombano al Lambro DOC zone includes four more municipalities: Miradolo Terme and Inverno Monteleone, in the province of Pavia, and Graffignana and Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, in the province of Lodi. The Collada – as the cluster of low hills is called by the locals – represent sub-Apennine appendix extending in the northern shore of the river Po. The hills were probably produced by earthquakes during the Miocene Era, which pushed them up from the ocean that, at the time, reached so far inland. The zone, extending east-west for about seven kilometers (about 4.35 miles) and 2 kilometers (about 1.25 miles) wide, is characterized by pleasant rolling hills that rise to a maximum of 75 meters (about 246 feet) above the Pianura Padana (Padana Plain). The soil is mostly clayey, alternating calcareous to more sandy areas. It is also rich in calcium carbonate, iodine, iron oxide and sodium chloride, as well as sulfuric dioxide and carbonic dioxide, as proved by the springs at Terme di Miradolo (Miradolo Hot Springs) and the Fonti Minerali Gerette (Gerette Mineral Fountains) of San Colombano.
| The Santo (Saint) Colombano | |
| We don't know where history ends to give way to the popular legend, but it seems that the name San (ST.) Colombano comes from the Irish monk Colombano, who stayed in this area in the sixth century and founded the Bobbio Abbey, in the Trebbia Valley, in the province of Piacenza. It is believed that the monk, who later became saint in recognition of his good deeds, taught his great viticultural knowledge to other monks and followers. He learned the skills of the trade by making copies of the French agronomy classics on vellum, as monks used to do with all known books in order to pass knowledge down to posterity. |
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The vineyards are located up the hills which, though very low, are high enough to save the vines the insidious valley fogs. In addition, the soil composition and the optimal sun exposure of the low hill ranges facing the south, contribute to making this corner of Lombardy ideal for cultivation of numerous different grape varieties, among which are Croatina, Barbera and the Uva Rara (Rare Grape), that make up the base for the San Colombano al Lambro Rosso DOC. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, on the other hand, are the base for the blend San Colombano al Lambro Bianco DOC.
| Translated from Italian by WineCountry.IT |
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