Lino Maga - A lone wolf

There will always be folks that “go it alone”, but even in the always surprising world of wine, this one goes to the edges. We’re talking about Barbacarlo and the personal name that is literally synonymous with that appellation, Lino Maga.

Barbacarlo is a sub-zone in the Oltrepo` Pavese DOC. Oltrepo` Pavese is a large zone that straddles the Italian regions of Lombardia and the Emilia half of the Emilia Romagna region that also contains other sub-zones (Gutturnio is another), but what makes Barbacarlo truly unique is that Maga is Barbacarlo’s LONE PRODUCER! What’s more is that Maga has an exclusive right to that name since it comprises precisely HIS ESTATE AND NOTHING MORE! So, even if someone had the notion to become a Barbacarlo producer, he or she would have to wait for Commendatore Maga to shuffle off this mortal coil, and then convice his heirs to sell their land to make that happen.

How all of this happened is apparently is quite arcane and convoluted (even for Italy) but apparently, Maga was able to convince the oenological powers that were that his terroir (soil, micro-climate, etc.) his unique blend (50% Croatina, 30% Uva Rara, and 20% Uvetta), and the fact that his family was the only known group to have ever farmed his little upland valley, was distinctive enough set of facts to warrant a unique designation.

Sr. Maga farms just 4 hectares (almost 10 acres) in the village of Broni high in the hills outside of Pavia on the Lomardia side of the border. From this plot he produces about 10,000 bottles of “the” wine. And to match this unusual viticultural designation, is Maga’s way of farming and making wine. His vineyards, aside from the fact that they do indeed produce great fruit, look nearly abandoned as they are covered with tall grasses and all kinds of wildflowers, and the wine that emanates from these wild vineyards reflects its origins - is are sturdy and rustic, but also elegant and charming. It is often described as possessing intense aromas of raspberries, pomegranates, violets, and briar, and not surprisingly, it pairs perfectly with the braised meats, stuffed pastas, and cheeses with which it shares the land…

As one might imagine, with Barbacarlo’s unique status, it’s tiny production, and it’s almost incalculable authenticity and coolness factor, Maga’s wines are rare as hen’s teeth (to my knowledge, this wine has never reached American shores), so don’t run out looking for a bottle (unless you happen to be in Maga’s immediate neighborhood, or happen to have his phoen number). Of course if you DO get a chance to buy a bottle, don’t pass up on the chance, but realistically, its probably best to content oneself as a perfect embodiment of an improbable triumph of tradition, tenacity, and vision over homogenization and fashion - the powerful howl of a lone wolf.

TOM CIOCCO