Why we chose Pernero

Pernero is Pinot Nero made for the table: fragrant, precise and easy to return to. It shows the grape's graceful side rather than chasing weight or extraction, with bright red fruit, fine structure and enough savoury detail to remain interesting through a meal.

At Alessa, we love wines that feel complete without demanding ceremony. Pernero can open an aperitivo, sit beside risotto or roast chicken and continue into a relaxed lunch. Its charm comes from balance and drinkability rather than obvious power.

Pernero at Tenuta Travaglino

Tenuta Travaglino presents Pernero as its youthful, fragrant expression of Pinot Nero. The estate does not publish a separate meaning for the name, so we prefer not to invent one; what is clear is the wine's role in the range: pure varietal character, freshness and pleasure in the glass.

The wine is made from 100% Pinot Nero grown in the Pozion, Mulinino and Cà Nova vineyards. These sites face south-west at approximately 230 metres above sea level, giving the grapes sunshine for ripening while the hills retain the freshness essential to this delicate variety.

A historic estate in Oltrepò Pavese

The first documented reference to Travaglino dates to 1111, when Johannis de Travalino appeared as a witness in a local testament. The property later developed around an ancient agricultural and monastic settlement, before Vincenzo Comi acquired the estate in 1868.

Today Travaglino remains in the Comi family. Fifth-generation Cristina Cerri Comi leads the estate, with Alessandro Cerri Comi working across hospitality, events and commercial development. Enologist Achille Bergami joined in 2016, bringing specialist training in varietal winemaking and a belief that quality begins with the relationship between grape and place.

The hills, soil and Pinot Nero

Travaglino farms around 80 hectares of vineyard within a 400-hectare property at Calvignano, on the slopes of Monte Cérésino. The Pernero parcels have brown clay-and-limestone soils over marl and sandstone, with sand and pebbles adding variation through the vineyards.

The climate is cool and well ventilated, with meaningful differences between day and night temperatures. Those conditions help preserve acidity and aroma, two qualities that allow Pinot Nero to feel vivid and finely drawn rather than broad or heavy.

How Pernero is made

The grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermented at a controlled 22–24°C with maceration in stainless steel. The wine remains for six months on its lees and is bottled in March following the harvest. This restrained approach keeps the red fruit clear while building gentle texture and cohesion.

What it tastes like

Wild strawberry and fresh red berries lead the aroma, followed by subtle spice and a light savoury edge. The palate is youthful and fragrant, with bright acidity, fine tannins and a clean finish. Nothing feels forced: the fruit, structure and freshness move together with quiet confidence.

How to serve it

Serve Pernero lightly cool in a generous Pinot Noir or Burgundy-shaped glass. Tenuta Travaglino recommends it as an aperitivo and with antipasti, risotto and delicately flavoured dishes; it can even accompany fish soup when served slightly chilled.

We also like it with roast chicken, pork, mushrooms, duck or soft cheese. It is an understated, versatile red for long lunches and thoughtful everyday drinking—the sort of bottle that disappears naturally because it works so well with the people and food around it.