Banino

In San Colombano, a village located between the lower Pavia and the Lodi plain, the Panigada family, in addition to the historic deli shop, has been producing a wine bearing the curious name of Banino for three generations. San Colombano takes its name after the Irish monk who Christianized the village in the 6th century, and who later brought wine growing in the area. That’s why its inhabitants are called “banini”, and from this name originates that of the company wine. The winery itself is located in the centre of San Colombano, in one of its most beautiful and characteristic streets; here exclusively grapes from the five hectares of property vineyards, located in La Merla, Baracca and Cà del Mazza, all well exposed to the south on the gentle hills overlooking the village, are vinified. The management of the vineyards takes the environmental aspect into great consideration and, as evidence of this, since no herbicide is allowed, grass and wildflowers fill the vineyards; it’s, in fact, their mowing that nourishes the vines, not fertilizers of chemical origin. In the growing season, then, the fungal protection is implemented using mainly sulphur and copper, without anti-trite treatments, while the manual harvest is done in small cases to safeguard the integrity and fragrance of the grapes ready for pressing. The premises for pressing, fermenting and all the processes are located in the large internal courtyard of the cellar, while in the basement, under the courtyard, next to the tasting corner, the old family cellars with exposed vaults, where the most important wines refine first in wood and then in bottle. Both in the vinification and in the refinement the long times that nature requires are respected, in order to obtain a product of excellent quality, not giving in to any forcing to chase the market. Banino wines, in fact, do not follow trends, conforming to characteristics shared by most, and give great satisfaction only to those who have the patience to wait.