Our names are Elisa and Silvia Piaggi, but you can call us ‘Lefiole’, which is an affectionate way of saying ‘girls’ in our local dialect. We grew up in Montalto Pavese and even though we now live elsewhere, it’s amongst these hills that we feel most at home. This connection inspired us to do something to pay homage to our home land, to its traditions and rich history, to these hills and their timeless beauty.
The 45th parallel is an imaginary line that marks the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole. A line that separates the harsh cold of the North from the unbearable heat of the South.
The 45th parallel is the perfect latitude along which many of the world’s greatest wines are made.
It’s a real thing, and you can find out more in Olivier Bernard and Thierry Dussard's book, “The Magic of the 45th Parallel: the ideal latitude for the world’s great wines”.
Somewhere along the 45th parallel there is a triangular area of around 1000 square km. Running alongside the River Po and wedged between the 3 regions of Piedmont, Liguria and Emilia Romagna, there you have the Oltrepò Pavese.
Our Pinot Grigio is called Elivià, which is a fusion of our two names. While we named our Pinot Nero Alené, dedicated to our parents, Angela and Enzo.
