Podere Sottoilnoce

The Podere Sottoilnoce winery is Max Brondolo's small establishment on the outskirts of the medieval village of Castelvetro di Modena. The name ('under the walnut tree' in English) refers to the imposing tree that stands between the oldest vines on the estate (some are up to 60 years old). It is a strange twist of nature, as they say that 'nothing grows under the walnut tree'. Max inaugurated his small winery in 2017 with a purely artisanal idea, based on the principles of organic farming and Steiner's biodynamic theories. His love for wine, however, has ancient roots as his grandparents had a farmstead in the town of Asti and sold Barbera wine loose. As a young man, Max moved to Milan and started approaching the world of wine. He was particularly fascinated by the potential and expressiveness of artisanal wines and the elegance of the Burgundy region. Shortly afterwards, he moved with his family to the Modena area and, after in-depth studies of the territory, the biodynamic philosophy and enology, decided to open his own winery. The vineyard covers 6 hectares and is planted with the most classic varieties of the Emilian tradition, some of which have been abandoned and rediscovered by the owner. These include the Lambrusco (in its Grasparossa, Fioranese and Sorbara varieties), the Trebbiano (in the Spagna and Modenese biotypes) and other indigenous varieties such as the Uva Tosca.

The soils of the Podere Sottoilnoce winery are composed of a red loamy matrix and are left to develop without the use of synthetic and chemical products, but only with biodynamic preparations and natural products to preserve the fertility of the earth and to produce humus. The vineyards are immersed in a very varied landscape, which is rich in animal biodiversity, spontaneous vegetation, shrubs and woods. The aim of the winery is to produce labels with a territorial flavour, following the Modenese tradition. In the cellar, therefore, vinification is carried out with minimal interventionism and fermentation is spontaneous, catalysed by the exclusive use of indigenous yeasts. The second fermentations take place in the bottle with the addition of frozen must from the same vintage.

The wines of Podere Sottilnoce are reminiscent of the most ancient and artisanal traditions of the Emilia region. They are elegant, lively and delicious, featuring a regenerating freshness, a lively froth and an irresistible drinkability. Ideal companions for the everyday table, they are wines of the heart, designed for moments of pure joy, sociability and light-heartedness. Simply and purely good!