Elio Ottin

The Roman town of Aosta is now best known for the ski slopes that surround it. But for centuries it was a critical trading post for those crossing the Alps. Here, the inhabitants remain tri-lingual from birth, speaking Italian, French, and the local dialect, Valdôtain. This, alongside the region’s proximity to France, gives a fiercely independent character, blending the best of Italy and France: something that’s apparent in the wines of Ottin.

Elio took over the family’s smallholding in the early 1990s. He’s a man of exacting standards and attention to detail, and he only started releasing his own wines commercially in 2007 when he felt that they could pass muster on a global scale. Prior to that, the grapes were sold to the local co-operative. More recently he’s been joined by his son, Nick, who’s done harvests at Hubert Lignier in Burgundy, and Pegasus Bay in New Zealand, among other places. Nick has brought a more open approach to the winery, and working seamlessly alongside his dad, the wines have developed an added layer of complexity.

Wine isn’t their only focus: they grow apples for the local cooperative, and until very recently, they’ve kept a herd of cows, from which they’ve made their own delicious cheese. That’s meant that for a couple of weeks in the autumn, they’ve been among the busiest wineries we’ve come across, with winemaking, the apple harvest, and bringing the cows down from the mountain pastures. The cows have another benefit, providing fertiliser for the vineyards. 

The Valle d’Aosta is one of the driest parts of Italy. Nick regularly reminds us that it’s drier here, in the rain shadow of Mont Blanc, than it is in Italy’s baked southern region of Puglia. 

This aspect creates a very specific set of challenges for viticulture on the southern slopes, where the majority of Ottin’s vineyards are planted. However, the warm, sunny days, cool nights, and pure granitic soils ensure that these are wines of pure definition and freshness. Some of the most joyful, and well-priced, wines you’ll find, Ottin is a real Alpine gem.