# Colli Tortonesi Rosso (2024)

- **Producer:** Oltretorrente
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Barbera, Dolcetto, Croatina, Freisa
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €18
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, plum, herbaceous

## About this wine

Oltretorrente was founded in 2010 by agronomists Chiara Penati and Michele Conoscente in Paderna, situated in Piedmont's Colli Tortonesi sub-region. The name translates to 'across the stream' or 'against the current,' referencing both their journey creating an estate without inherited land and honoring a historic antifascist neighborhood in Parma. The estate focuses on preserving historic, old-vine field blends across organically farmed plots.

## Interesting facts

- The label features an illustration of a badger, referencing the wildlife inhabiting the estate's organic ecosystem.
- Oltretorrente translates to 'across the stream', honoring a historic working-class neighborhood in Parma that resisted fascism.
- This cuvée is an old-school field blend where 30 to 60-year-old Barbera and rare heritage grapes are grown and co-fermented together.

## Food pairing

The bright acidity characteristic of Barbera cuts seamlessly through rich tomato sauces and high-fat meats, while the supple, concrete-softened tannins allow versatile pairing across pork, duck, and charcuterie without overwhelming the dish.

## Wine making process

Hand-harvested from vines aged 30 to 60+ years grown on calcareous-clay soils. The Barbera, Dolcetto, and co-planted native red varieties undergo spontaneous co-fermentation with native yeasts in concrete tanks. Skin maceration lasts roughly 30 days. The wine ages for 6 to 8 months in concrete tanks on total lees with zero oak contact, preserving fruit purity before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.