In this remote corner of northwest Italy nestled against the Swiss border, small-scale polyculture farming has always been a way of life. Elio Ottin began his career as a farmer in 1989 after completing his studies at Institut Agricole Regional at the age of 23, by stocking the land with cattle, apples, and wine grapes. The grapes were at first sold into the local cooperative, but eventually Elio decided he owed it to himself to make his own wines.
In 1999 he resigned from his permanent job in order to devote his working life to viticulture. His thirst to improve, his passion and enthusiasm led the company into expansion and the farmland quickly grew to a total of 13 hectares which comprised 4 hectares of vineyard, 4 hectares of apple orchards and 5 hectares of grazing land. In 2007, the Elio Ottin label was born, quickly making a name for itself as a sought after, high quality producer. More recently his son Nicolas has joined him in the vineyards and they aquired an additional 4 hectares of vineyards working side by side.
As befits their remote location, the Ottin vineyards are planted to a mix of Swiss and French imports (Petite Arvine and Pinot Noir) and local obscurities such as Fumin, Petit Rouge, and Cornalin. The Petite Arvine is raised in stainless steel, while the reds are aged in used barriques and tonneaux of French oak. The Petite Arvine, Fumin, and Tourette (a blend of Petit Rouge with a splash of Fumin and Cornalin), are mountain wines par excellence, with almost an absurd concentration of flavor packed into a lithe, mineral frame, while the Pinot Noir on the other hand is the picture of delicacy, pale and ethereal, and unlike Pinot from anywhere else in the world.
Elio considers modern technology in harmony with the environment rather than in opposition to it. The farm’s energy is produced entirely by renewable sources. Electricity is produced by mountain stream water diverted into a network of channels and by solar panels, while the building heating systems are powered by solar panels and biomass plants fuelled by wood chips from the neighbouring woodland timber. In a truly sustainable system, he uses manure from his own cattle for fertilizer and has embraced integrated pest control. Needless to say these gems from Valle d’Aosta are farmed organically.
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