territory
From the looks of it, for having it tell from elderly several times, back in the late 19th century in the Alta Valle Versa there were a few land areas taken up by vineyards. The agricultural production was based on wheat, lucerne, corn and fruit trees, production that divides territories in woods and lucerne field indispensable for the cattle farming. Most of the farming families had a barn with cows. This allowed them to have manure in abundance, for fertilizing vineyards, which nourished and digged, produced grapes of high quality.
Because of the fruit the Alta Valle Versa had a certain notoriety, because some qualified producers participated, with their production, to national competition and they don’t look bad. They produced especially apples but also table grapes, pears and peaches.
The vineyards, were further divided into different variety of grapes because their different ripening facilitated the harvest and the production.
In the area of Alta Valle Versa, in addition to Moscato and Pinot Nero, were cultivated also red grapes, Barbera, Croatina and partly Nebbiolo, because was used in every family producing the own wine.
The production of red grapes, although it’s not rilevant in quantity, resulted qualitatively good.
The Evolution
The coming of agricultural machinery turned the wine development of Alta Valle Versa around.
So, vineyards have increased, replancing cultivation of wheat, lucerne and corn, and also the few orchards existing.
Today the prevailing wine are Pinot nero, Pinot grigio and Chardonnay, in addition to Moscato, which, by its nature of dessert sweet wine, has always struggled to find a permanent place on the market of grapes.
Riesling, another great white wine, is succeeded to keep one small area of its, whereas little space is remained for the also excellent Malvasia.
Barbera and Croatina, even though they decreased their diffusion, have nevertheless succeeded in maintaining their territorial presence.
With results, in truth not always constant, we tried to enhance the territory, implanting vineyards with grapes with early ripening, for which the Alta Valle Versa is particularly suitable.