Sullavìa: in the land of Barbera, a Pinot Noir of energy and depth is born
written by Erika Mantovan
At Vinitaly 2026, the Bava family unveils Sullavìa 2024, the first vintage of their new Piemonte DOC Pinot Nero from a single vineyard.
A project born under the sign of patience and precision: five harvests of observation before finding the perfect balance to give voice to the Bricco Roche cru in Agliano Terme, where the marl and calcareous soils lend Pinot noir its authentic and distinctive character.
The power of the land
The name Sullavìa is both literal and symbolic. It refers to the road connecting Agliano to Crena, which cuts through the Pianoalto vineyards, marking the boundary between the Barbera rows and those of Pinot noir. But it also represents the “way” Bava has chosen: a pursuit of purity and simplicity, without oak or embellishment, giving full voice to the grape and to the land it grows from.
The idea was born from a deep emotional bond with the old Barbera vineyard that had long guarded this soil. Only when the land itself seemed ready did the time come to plant Pinot noir.
The terroir: Bricco Roche, Agliano Terme
The vineyard lies on the exposed slopes of Bricco Roche, in a high, breezy corner of the Monferrato hills where the active limestone gives tension and definition to the wines. The combination of a cool microclimate and white marls ensures the grapes ripen slowly and evenly, preserving fragrance and acidity.
Different clonal selections were planted to build a complex yet graceful structure—balancing density with finesse. After years of study and testing, Sullavìa reached full expressive maturity in 2024, revealing a bright, vibrant Pinot Nero that stays true to its origins.
Winemaking and style
Winemaking follows a principle of essential clarity. Fermentation and maceration take place in stainless steel, with sufficient skin contact to bring out color, texture, and tannin while maintaining freshness and vitality.
The result is a bright, crystalline wine, immediately readable in its purity: light ruby with brilliant reflections.
The bouquet unfolds with crisp cherry, raspberry, red flowers, gentle spice and a subtle mineral note. On the palate, it is juicy, full, and energetic, with fine tannins and lively acidity that elongate the finish. A Pinot noir combining richness and drinkability, dense yet effortlessly balanced — modern, expressive, and sincere.
A contemporary vision of Piedmont Pinot noir
Sullavìa marks a new identity for Bava’s interpretation of Pinot noir: not an imitation, but an expression rooted in Monferrato, shaped by Agliano’s vocation and the sensitivity of a family that unites long-standing experience with an instinct for discovery.
As Paolo Bava explains: “We wanted a straightforward Pinot noir, one that conveys the vibration of our land. It’s a wine that speaks our language, but with its own accent — the accent of Agliano.”
Art and identity
The label takes inspiration from a metal artwork by Pedro Pires (Border Series 136 3-4), reinterpreted graphically in a deep red hue that recalls the iconic casot standing amid Bava’s vineyards — a direct homage to the family’s roots and to the landscape that shapes their wines.