Agnes

The Brothers Agnes' cellar is a strictly family-run Lombard winery that deeply believes in the promotion of the character of Oltrepò Pavese with its traditional wines, with Bonarda at the forefront. We are in Rovescala, in the northeastern part of Oltrepò, a region where the Agnes family has been dedicated to wine production since 1912, nurturing a winemaking tradition dating back to Roman times, as evidenced by the discovery of various archaeological relics related to viticulture. Additionally, an important historical document dated 1192 reveals that three Lombard feudatories, in lieu of a debt, requested 2,000 liters of wine from Count Anselmo of Rovescala. The document reads, "De puro vino suarum vinearum de Rovescalla, de meliori quod habuerit super locum," which translates to "of pure wine from the vineyards of Rovescala, a place with some of the best," reflecting the high regard for the area's wines. Today, it is Cristiano and Sergio Agnes who continue to write the oenological history of the region with the same passion and dedication as their ancestors.

Within their 18 hectares of owned vineyards, the Agnes Brothers exclusively cultivate the traditional varieties of Croatina and Bonarda Pignolo, an ancient local clone of Croatina. The vines are mostly very old, with some vines exceeding a century in age, and they are sustainably cultivated without the use of herbicides and pesticides. The vineyards are situated on hilly soils with a rich presence of clay, limestone, and tuff. Harvesting is done by hand, and fermentations occur spontaneously for extended periods in stainless steel tanks and, notably, in glazed concrete tanks, the same types of wine containers used for the subsequent aging phase, with the exception of some wines that age in large wooden barrels. The sparkling wines follow the Martinotti Method, with the secondary fermentation taking place in autoclaves.

The Agnes Brothers offer various variations of Bonarda, both still and sparkling, all characterized by exemplary typicity. Notably, there's the 'Loghetto – Ammandorlato,' made from grapes sourced from partially centenary vines subjected to slight drying in crates.