La Stoppa is a 125-acre estate is near Piacenza, in the Emilia-Romagna appellation. It was founded in the late 19th century but is today run by Elena Pantaleoni and winemaker Giulio Armani. Pantaleoni’s family acquired the estate in 1973 and improved the property. Today the 80 acres of vineyards are planted to Barbera and Bonarda, with small amounts of Malvasia Candia, Ortrugo and Trebbiano. The estate makes red and white wines, including La Stoppa Trebbiolo Frizzante, a red slightly fizzy wine made of Barbera and Bonarda. Trebbiolo is named for “Val Trebbiolo,” the local valley where the grapes are grown. The wine is fermented using natural yeasts in a sealed, pressurized tank, which captures the natural carbon dioxide. The estate is certified organic and produces a total of 160,000 bottles annually. Gambero Rosso call Pantaleoni and Armani “artisans who classically and reliably interpret their local terroir…the result is pure, multi-faceted wines that are incredibly deep, austere….”