Although the Valcalepio zone has an extremely ancient winemaking tradition, the damage caused by the phylloxera outbreak at the end of the last century led to a profound change in the structure of the vineyards. Very few of the traditional varieties of the area, such as Groppello, Marzemino, Rossera and Rossolo, are as widely planted as in the past, being replaced by new breeds imported from France, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot among the red-grape varieties, and Pinot Grigio and Bianco, among the whites.
The vintages of nearly a century have proved the wisdom of that selection of new vines. The consistent high quality of the Valcalepio Rosso and Bianco led to the granting of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata in 1976.