Colli Tortonesi DOC
The history of “Colli Tortonesi” doc certified origin dates back to the beginning of the XVIII century, more precisely to the 8th of May 1971 when the Mayors of Tortona, Viguzzolo, Castellar Guidobono, Volpedo, Volpeglino, Berzano di Tortona, Pozzol Groppo, Monleale, Monperone, Casasco, Brigano Frascata, Sarezzano, Cerreto Grue, Spineto Scrivia, Montemarzino, Avolasca, Montegioco, Carbonara Scrivia, Costa Vescovato, Paterna, Villaromagnano, S. Agata Fossili, Villalvernia, Cassano Spinola, Gavazzana, Castellania, Carezzano, Stazzano, Sardigliano and Casalnoceto asked the Regional Committee for the protection of the origin of wines to approve the denomination “Colli Tortonesi”, with the labels “Barbera, Cortese, Cortese spumante naturale”. According to what stated in the report presented to the Committee, the choice of the geographic denomination “Colli Tortonesi” depended both on the fact that all municipal lands involved belonged to the former Tortona neighbourhood and on the fact this denomination had been widely used during annual wines expositions since 1934.
On presenting the request the extent of the cultivated area with specialized vines was of 5,500 hectares, while the annual average production of grapes reached 400-500 quintals. Among the varieties of vine raised, Barbera and Cortese were the most diffused, the first with an annual average production of 30,000 quintals and the second with an annual average production of 10,000 quintals both to be destined to this denomination.
Further to the acceptance of the request by the Regional Committee for the protection of the origin of wines, the Decree relevant to the denomination “Colli Tortonesi” was issued by the President of the Republic on the 9th of October 1973 and promulgated on the 13th of March 1974 on the Official Gazzette number 68.
The Decree issued by the Agricultural and Forestry Policy Ministry on “Colli Tortonesi” DOC certified origin has protected the production of wines in the territory managed by the city councils of the Tortona region since the 27th of September 2005, date of the last modification.
The production of certified origin wines includes the following varieties:
- red wines rosso and rosso novello, barbera and barbera superiore, dolcetto and dolcetto novello and croatina;
- rosed wines: chiaretto;
- white wines: bianco, cortese, cortese frizzante and cortese spumante, favorita, moscato bianco and timorasso;
Besides these varieties there are also wines coming from the area “Colli Tortonesi Monleale”.
The decree also establishes that all wine-making, refining and aging procedures are carried out within the whole territory managed by the city councils of the Tortona region.
