Unique terrain high in the hills, with a constant breeze and outstanding marly limestone soils
Geology
The geological origin of the Botticino marble basin dates back to the Jurassic period (210-185 million years ago), when our regions lay underneath a shallow sea in an natural environment very similar to that of the Bahamas today.
The carbonate platform was formed by the sedimentation of particles of calcium carbonate of both organic origin (sediments of micro-organisms and mineralised mollusc shells) and of inorganic origin, which were carried by the currents and levelled by the tides.
Pià de la Tesa
The Pià de la Tesa vineyard stands right next to the Botticino marble quarries on the boundary with the Nuvolera municipality: here the Botticino marble is known as “Fiorito” – “flowering’, or “in bloom” – due to its ivory-coloured patches of gypsum. The soil it generates is made up of clay, marble and gypsum.
Gobbio
In the small Botticino valley known as Valverde, on the edge of Molvina near Mattina, there is an outcrop of stratified rock known as “Domaro Limestone” or the “Concesio Formation”, consisting of brittle marls in various colours, formed between 190 and 170 million years ago.
Here the Gobbio vineyard stands on silty, very limy soil that is white and ivory in colour, excellent for producing uniquely refined and elegant wines.
A large number of fossils of unusual extinct cephalopod ammonites, similar to today’s marine mollusc Nautilus, are found here.
Colle degli Ulivi
The Colle degli Ulivi cru, on the other hand, comes from Botticino Sera, along the eastern syncline of Mount Maddalena, on a more recent stratified formation dating from around 150 million years ago. It is known as the “Lombardy Flint Lode” and was formed by a lower level of multicoloured flints and an upper one of calcareous marls and reddish flinty marly limestones.
This brown soil consists of the perfect mixture: one third sand, one third clay and one third silt, with a very high percentage of active lime.
The right levels of sun exposure and a microclimate lead to organic farming
Our Botticino vineyards benefit from the Mediterranean microclimate created in a valley that is effectively sheltered by the Brescia Pre-Alps from north-east to north-west. We farmers have often prayed to these high hills for protection, and they have responded by providing loving shelter from the frequent summer storms for the vines which are not merely a source of income but rather the fruit of a year of meticulous, tender care for every single plant.
Gently sloping towards the plain from north to south, the valley enables our vineyards to enjoy excellent sun exposure to the south and south-east and thus to soak up the sun all day long.
Our vineyards’ location high in the hills is fundamental for making a good Botticino wine and is the primary characteristic that enables us to operate as organic growers.
Why? Visiting our Pià de la Tesa vineyard, you would be certain to remember one reason: it receives a light breeze (which sometimes turns into a wind) that constantly caresses the vines. That dries standing water, thus minimising infection.
The Gobbio (meaning “hump”) vineyard is named after the shape of the hill itself, which enables the rain water to flow away in every direction instead of standing in the soil.
These are the intrinsic characteristics of the Botticino territory which make organic farming possible, and we opted for this method back in 2011. Our commitment to it has only grown over time, since it enables us to avoid harming the hills we have loved since childhood, while also producing an excellent wine with no toxic chemical residues.
A healthy, genuine wine, the expression of the land from which it comes.
As the Botticino DOC production rules state:
“The terrains’ favourable exposure, in a sunny position protected by the Pre-Alpine chain, and the limestone-clay soils on the slopes of the steep hills to the east of Brescia create an ideal environment for the production of wines with body and character, which achieve perfection through ageing.”