A food and wine journey in the company of E-VAI.
With the arrival ofautunno the desire to rediscover the Lombard countryside and the thousand colors that nature gives us this season returns. If you can enjoy a suggestive landscape even with a glass in hand, so much the better.
And the places where you can enjoy whites, reds and bubbles, In Lombardy certainly there is no shortage. On the podium of the most popular areas there are certainly the Franciacorta, in the Brescia area, and theBeyond Pavese, but absolutely must-try vines and vines can also be found in small territorial entities very specific.
All places, in any case, easily reachable by car within the day. Even better if the choice falls on an electric car and, why not, rented in sharing: an intelligent way, in short, to get in tune with nature and prepare body and mind for a pleasant day among cellars and vineyards.
Reach the wine areas of Lombardy with electric car sharing E-VAI
Today's Trip Outside the Municipality, therefore, will range between the places of Lombard wine, to discover the most prestigious vines and some unmissable events, which attract numerous enthusiasts every autumn.
Precisely to indulge this bucolic and environmentally friendly spirit, travel companion it will be the electric car of E-VAI, a "deep connoisseur" of the area by virtue of the numerous vehicle pick-up and return stations spread throughout Lombardy. The car sharing service E-VAI in fact, it allows you to rent a car for a few hours or for a whole day.
What better way, then, to reach the DOC and DOCG areas and spend a day full of clinking glasses?
Oltrepò Pavese: where the barrels are made
The vine has been at home here since ancient times. Suffice it to say that, near Casteggio (the ancient Clastidium) a vine shoot dating back to prehistoric times was found.
Everlasting in the Oltrepò PaveseAccording to Strabo, the barrel was invented, an indispensable companion in the production of any label worthy of the name.
What welcomes the visitor, in any case, are the rolling hills of Pavia, covered with rows of cultivated Pinot Noir, Croatina, Barbera and Riesling vines (to name the most important), which promise high quality wines of guaranteed origin, ready to satisfy every possible combination with the typical dishes of the area.
Here you can taste, in fact, the great classic wines ofOltrepò Pavese Classic Method DOCG, starting with the most traditional of the reds, the Bonarda, a DOC since 1970, made from Croatina grapes.
There is also no shortage of white wines in the Oltrepò Pavese, led by the most characteristic of all, the Rhenish or Italian Riesling, and the rosés, in which the Cruase, a collective brand reserved for members, which identifies rosé made from Pinot Noir grapes.
A trip to the Oltrepò Pavese will therefore not leave wine lovers in its most classic forms disappointed.
Of note in the area is the main festival linked to grapes:Autumn in Pavia it has been held every year since 1948. Once known as the Regisole Fair and hosted in the Visconti Castle, it moved to the Palazzo Esposizioni in 1961, where it returns this year, after the pandemic closures. An appointment not to be missed and which will welcome all interested parties until the 16 October, with dedicated stands, guided tastings, dinners, visits to the cellar and vineyard and special activities such as masterclasses, show cooking and tastings with exceptional guests.
Franciacorta: don't call it sparkling wine!
It is even a state decree that prohibits calling wine produced in Italy with the name "sparkling wine". Franciacorta.
The area between Brescia and Lake Iseo, includes the ancient territories of the Visconti countryside, then maintained by the Serenissima in the 15th century. The area is renowned for its Franciacorta bubbles, the first Italian Brut with refermentation in the bottle which obtained the DOCG classification and which can be enjoyed in the different types Satèn, Rosé, Millesimato and Riserva.
To accompany this exceptional wine, also the vines of Curtefranca DOC and White and Red Sebino Igt, whose supply chains have the advantage of being protected and enhanced by Consortium of Franciacorta, founded in 1990, which has 366 members including winemakers, winemakers and bottlers.
Life in the cellars of the area is decidedly active, with food and wine lovers and tourists always visiting to taste and stock up on the precious wine. The peak of the ferment is reached in the month of September with two weekends dedicated to the cellars. The Franciacorta Festival in the Cellar is held every year and allows you to rediscover the production places of Franciacorta throughopening of the cellars to the public.
A collective celebration held in the evocative context of the monasteries, castles and historic homes of the area, often immersed in the vineyards. Here you can take advantage of guided tours with tastings and special events such as vineyard tours, bike or horseback rides or picnics in the countryside, ideal for families.
A sweet pearl from the Bergamo area: Passito di Scanzo
However, moving away a little from the two most famous wine areas of Lombardy you can also find them little gems of flavour, linked to places so specific that they cover only a few hectares of land.
This is the case of the hilly area of Scanzorosciate, in the province of Bergamo, where the rows of Moscato di Scanzo, a black grape passito produced only here, cover only 31 hectares of land, thus gaining a place among the smallest DOCGs in Italy, as well as unique in the Bergamo area.
Also in this case, the most significant product of this small area is celebrated every year, in the month of September, with the Moscato di Scanzo Festival, currently underway until October 2nd. On this occasion it is possible to access the cellars and farms, organized in stands, to taste, among other fine local wines, Moscato di Scanzo, accompanied by zero km gastronomic proposals.
The advice of E-VAI: drink and drive responsibly
After a food and wine tour it is a good thing to evaluate the best way to get home, and, in this, E-VAI, with its car sharing service, is certainly effective, considering that, at the end of the day, you can find your electric car where you left it.
The advice, however, on this particular occasion, in which the outing was dedicated to an alcoholic product such as wine, is to certainly enjoy the day, but also to drink responsibly, so you can get back on the road safely with E-VAI.
