Discovering Valtellina plus 10 top producers worth knowing

Tucked up in the mountains of Northern Lombardy near the Swiss border, the wine region of Valtellina almost defies comprehension. This atypical lateral mountain valley is carved out by the Adda River, where it changes its course to flow due west. Shielding the area from inclement weather are the towering Rhaetian Alps to the north and the less imposing Bergamo range to the south. Summers are remarkably hot, and autumn tends to be dry and sunny with significant differences between day and night-time temperatures. Scroll down for Michaela Morris' top 20 Valtellina wines [subscriber-content]On the steep northern banks vineyards pile on top of each other, rising from 300 metres to well over 700 metres above sea level. South-facing terraces are held up by hundreds of miles of dry-stone walls that help reduce erosion while absorbing the radiating heat. In shallow sandy soil, derived from crumbled schist and granite, Nebbiolo manages to flourish - with much help from man. But do not expect Barolo : known locally and proudly as Chiavennasca, Valtellina Nebbiolo has a distinctly alpine timbre. Piercingly intense and finely etched, the wines are mineral-laden with an impossible lightness of being. The region’s umbrella DOC, Rosso di Valtellina, delivers predominantly slim, delicate wines with a crunchy drinkability. The most optimal vineyard area, totaling 215 hectares, is designated as Valtellina Superiore. This DOCG, which requires ageing in barrel, includes five subzones: from Maroggia in the west, Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, and Valgella in the east. Overall, these wines offer greater depth with a palpable sense of the extreme territory. Valtellina’s other DOCG is Sforzato, or ‘Sfursat’ in the local dialect. Like Amarone , grape bunches are harvested and partially dried in a fruttaio for several weeks, concentrating the berries. Fermented fully dry, Sforzato is Valtellina’s most robust expression, though still chiselled and bright and, I’d argue, more food friendly than Amarone. With a critical mass of quality-minded producers making top-notch wines in a range of styles and philosophies, Valtellina is ripe for discovery. It behoves true Nebbiolo lovers to venture here. [breakout] 10 Valtellina wine producers to know: Aldo Rainoldi Aldo Rainoldi started out as a wine merchant in 1925. Over time, the company transitioned from buying wine to purchasing grapes and bottling rather than selling by the barrel. Today the business is run by Aldo's grandson and namesake.

In addition to almost 10ha of estate vineyards, Rainoldi works with over 60 small growers. The network is guided by a resident agronomist to ensure sustainable practices such as no herbicides and integrated pest management are met.

With a comprehensive portfolio, this is a great estate to experience Valtellina in all of its delightful facets.

Ar Pe Pe In 1973, the century-old Pelizzatti estate was broken apart by family differences. Eleven years later, Arturo Pelizzatti Perego, grandson of the original founder, relaunched as Ar Pe Pe. He championed traditional, long-aged wines expressive of vintage and place.

Arturo, who passed away in 2004, is succeeded by his children Isabella, Emanuele and Guido. They have unequivocally adopted his vision but are not afraid of innovation.

From 16.5ha in Sassella, Grumello and Inferno, Ar Pe Pe makes 11 different labels, though not every year. And single-vineyard Riservas are only bottled in the very best vintages.

Finessed and nuanced, Ar Pe Pe’s wines regularly inspire comparisons with Burgundy. More precisely, they are quintessential Chiavennasca - singular, unrushed wines that speak clearly of their mountain origins.

Ca' Bianche Prior to establishing his estate, Davide Bana worked in construction in Switzerland, returning to Valtellina on days off to help his grandfather in the vineyard.

At the age of 27, he quit his job and took over the 2ha property, which sits at the upper limits of Valtellina Superiore.

He produced his first wine in 2011 and now makes a total of 8,000 bottles, divided between three wines. Along with the highly recommended Tèna Valtellina Superiore, the barrique-aged Sforzato Faset is well worth seeking out.

Mamete Prevostini Mamete Prevostini grew up helping his father and grandfather make wine for their family restaurant. He went on to study at Conegliano’s revered Oenology School, bought his first vineyard and started making wine commercially in 1995.

The estate now totals 30ha, predominantly in Sassella, and Prevostini’s wines reflect the fanatic precision he applies in the vineyards and the winery, with the San Lorenzo reaching a new level of sophistication.

In 2014, Prevostini completed a 100% carbon neutral cellar, one of just a handful in Italy certified by CasaClima.

Nino Negri Originally established in 1897, this historic estate was purchased by the Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV) conglomerate in 1986 and is the largest producer in Valtellina. Integral to the winery’s success was Casimiro Maule, who served as oenologist from 1971 until his retirement in 2018. Piemontese and ex-winemaker for Fontanafredda, Danilo Drocco fills his shoes.

To supplement its 31ha of estate-owned vineyards, the company purchases grapes from over 200 families who collectively farm 120ha - Drocco refers to these winegrowers as ‘true treasure’.

Besides painstakingly growing Nebbiolo, they maintain the dry-stone walls that are fundamental to the security and beauty of Valtellina’s vineyards.

Dirupi Co-owners and childhood friends Pierpaolo Di Franco and Davide Fasolini were born and raised in Sondrio in the heart of Valtellina. While neither came from a wine growing family, both decided to study winemaking. ‘Having vines over our heads every day stimulated our curiosity,’ says Fasolini.

After reconnecting at university, the two decided to make wine together. They rented a small vineyard and established Dirupi in 2003. Today they manage 19 different parcels totalling 5.5ha, all of which are farmed organically.

Sandro Fay Sandro Fay started his winery in 1973 with just 1.2ha. Today the estate owns 15ha over countless terraces, most of which are in the subzone of Valgella. Sandro’s children, Elena and Marco started working alongside him in 1998 and now run the property.

Marco, who studied oenology in Trentino and trained in Barolo with Elio Altare, believes that the greatest differences in Valtellina occur vertically: as humidity collects at lower elevations, the well ventilated mid-slopes are favoured for their single-vineyard bottlings, while grapes for Sforzato hail from the highest altitudes.

Fay’s wines are magnificent textbook examples of Valtellina’s vertical range and Nebbiolo’s alpine demeanour.

Tenuta Scerscé Cristina Scarpellini traded the rigour of practising law for the gruelling pursuit of winemaking in Valtellina. After starting with less than half a hectare in 2008, she now leases and owns a combined total of 6ha.

Accruing vineyards has been an exercise in patience given Valtellina’s patchwork of tiny parcels with multiple owners. ‘Those who decide to sell have to trust you and see that you work well,’ she says.

Scarpellini collaborates with renowned consultant Attilio Pagli, coaxing out deftly balanced, pretty wines from her demanding terraces.

Marcel Zanolari Established in 2001, Marcel Zanolari is Valtellina’s only winery to achieve biodynamic certification. Marcel gives credit to his father Giuliano, who pioneered organic practices in the region in the 1980s. He describes it as an ‘additional challenge’ to the already heroic efforts required to cultivate Valtellina’s steep vineyards: ‘There were years where everything was lost.’

Marcel favours spontaneous fermentations and long macerations. He has a preference for amphora over wood, which is at odds with the DOCGs’ ageing requirements. He does, however, make a compelling, long-aged Sforzato in used barriques.

La Perla Marco Triacca belongs to the Triacca clan, which gives its name to one of Valtellina’s well known brands. After finishing up his winemaking studies in 2008, he decided to establish his own estate with a small plot that had previously gone into Triacca’s wine. He christened it La Perla, or the pearl, which was his mother Elisa’s nickname - she passed away prematurely that same year.

Today the vineyards extend over 3.3ha in one contiguous piece – almost unheard of in Valtellina. Besides three Valtellina bottlings, Marco crafts a traditional-method sparkling wine from the rare red Pignola grape.

[/breakout] [/subscriber-content] Michaela's top 20 Valtellina wines: [wine-collection] You may also like: Barolo & Barbaresco: 10 high-flying vineyard sites Barolo 2016 ‘classico’ late releases tasted Barolo 2016 ‘MGA’ late releases tasted