The Ottin Winery Company

As the wine industry has exploded in recent years due to a number of factors, including internet access making it easier than ever for people to get their hands on different types of wine they may previously have not been able to buy and the expansion of the industry into territories, like China and India, that may well prove to be the future of wine, so too has the number of smaller wine companies trying to make names for themselves.

Not all of these companies will succeed, however, those that are able to carve a niche out for themselves can do so because they possess great passion for their work and are able to produce wines that stand alongside some of the giants of the industry and give good accounts of themselves.

This is exactly the case with the Ottin Winery Company, which has slowly been making a name for itself over the course of almost a decade due to the quality of its wines and the great passion that is put into its work. This is they the team at Xtrawine has made the decision to profile the company and shine a spotlight on one of the best vintages to emerge from their vineyards.

The History

While the founding of the Ottin Winery Company dates back to relatively recent times, with the company producing its first vintages in 2007, the man behind the company has actually been involved in the industry for much longer, developing the knowledge that would be required to bring his passions for wine to fruition.

Elio Ottin brings passion in abundance. He has great love for his land and the wines that it would eventually produce, but he started life as a farmer before moving onto viticulture. He started his career by creating his own farming company in the early 1990s, combining the knowledge that he had gained from his studies at the Regional Agricultural Institution and the Verzuolo Agricultural Institution with his passion for creating the best possible produce that would be a true representation of the land that he owned. Land that, by the way, was located in a mountainous region that echoed with the passions and skills of wine producers from years gone by.

He ascended to the position of Agricultural Technician at the Agricultural Council of the Autonomous Region of Valle d’Aosta during his work as a farmer, but his ideas surrounding wine and his own farming techniques led him to make the decision to leave the role in the later 1990s so that he could focus more on putting what he had in mind into practice. While this could be seen as something as a blow for the Council, which relies on the expertise of people like Elio to help them with policy, his decision to go it alone could also be seen as a way to help the entire region, as by exploring his own ideas he had the potential to create something that was as representative of the region as anything that he has done in his previous position.

For many, the idea of leaving a stable career to forge ahead on your own is terrifying, and it takes a special kind of person to shoulder that responsibility and make something out of themselves. Thankfully, that is exactly what Elio did and in the years that followed he set about making his farming company a success through the innovative ideas that he brought to agriculture and the great passion that he has for his land.

All of this led him to 2007. Now it is hard to separate the concept of agriculture from that of viticulture, as agricultural techniques have always been crucial to the success of the Italian wine industry. They allow for more efficiency, higher yields and the creation of wines that have the capacity to astound all of those who sample them.

However, that relationship works both ways. Many farmers find that the allure of entering the industry leads them down a brand new path, which is the position that Elio found himself during that fateful year.

It would be inaccurate to claim that he had no involvement in the wine industry up until that point. In fact, his land was used to grow many grapes, all of which were given to a local cooperative initiative, where they were used to make wines.

However, Ottin presented himself with the new challenge of using those grapes himself that were not only representative of the region where they were grown, but also imbued with his own personality and passion.

Today, nine years later, the wines produce by Ottin Winery Company are noted for containing great personality, while still using grapes grown in the region. Combining the many agricultural and vinicultural techniques that he has learned over the years, Elio Ottin has been able to create amazing wines that many would argue surpass those of the cooperative that he used to contribute to. In tribute, we will now take a closer look at one of the best white wines to emerge from his winery.

Ottin Petite Arvine 2015

The 2015 vintage of Ottin Petite Arvine may well be the best to have been produced by the company since its inception.

This train of thought is clear from the moment you pour the wine, as it offers a golden yellow colour that demonstrates it has been aged perfectly, hitting maturity at just the right moment. The straw yellow reflections contained within hint at a level of complexity and intrigue that few white wines possess and this is reinforced when the wine is introduced to the nose.

The complex bouquet combines flowery notes, such as hawthorn, with tropical fruits, creating an experience that demonstrates true mastery of the craft and perfect balance.

All of this is again reinforced when the wine is finally tasted. The strong and well-balanced structure encourages more sips, however, it is worth taking a moment to truly appreciate the taste and enjoy the final spicy notes that stand in stark contrast to the fruit and flowers you will have noticed at first. It is both a strong, yet delicate wine that truly rewards those who take their time with it.