Podere Sottoilnoce is a 7-hectare wine estate located in the picturesque village of Castelvetro di Modena, at the very heart of the Lambrusco Grasparossa DOC. The proprietor and winemaker, Max Brondolo has been applying biodynamic principles since 2016, with the goal of maintaining the balance between monoculture (vineyards) and surrounding nature. 

Podere Sottoilnoce is a first-generation winery. While Max started this project from zero, his family still had some experience with wine as his grandfather was also a winemaker, but in Asti, in Piedmont. That's where he built his first memories of wine as a kid - sparkling barbera. Very discreet about his previous professional life, he regrets he didn’t start with winemaking earlier in his life. Interestingly, Max invested in buying vineyards before the cellar, or an actual winery. He is still a bit of a nomad winemaker. He collaborated with Gianluca Bergianti, where he started to make his wines. He uses another winemaker's facilities where his tanks are. His storage is at another place near Modena and his tasting room and office is at another very lovely small house by the vineyard. 

Currently, Max is building a bigger winery together with two other winemakers and they will share the facilities, allowing for collaboration. The facility could also host other new craft winemakers in the future. Max believes that the region suffered from industrialization and this project would provide independent growers with a roof over their heads.

His hope to revitalize the authenticity of the region is also reflected in his work. The focus is on local grapes, with an intense desire to revive some of the forgotten indigenous varieties like Uva Tosca and Trebbiano di Spagna. The other tended grapes are: Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro (red), Lambrusco Fioranese, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Trebbiano Modenese.

Max harvests by hand and is intensely detail-oriented in order to allow himself to minimally intervene during the winemaking process. All grape varieties are vinified separately and once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, they are assembled following Max’s interpretation of depending on the vintage and vessels. Sulfur addition is done in minuscule quantities (between 10 to 15mg/L) immediately after the end of alcoholic fermentation. The final blend is then bottled together with must from the previous vintage or grape sugar, without added yeast, in order to undergo the second fermentation in bottle. All sparkling wines are therefore refermented in bottles, unfiltered and without disgorgement.