Sforzato della Valtellina Le Strie 2016

Sforzato di Valtellina from the Le Strie winery is the main label - relative to this type - offered by Azienda Agricola Le Strie. It is a complex, dense and articulate red, yet at the same time, it is extremely drinkable and flowing. One sip pulls the other because of its wonderful blend of fruit, juice, aromatic facets and texture; in a word: charm. Charm and territory, to be precise. It takes from the terraces of Valtellina the freshness and structure that give it a characteristic three-dimensionality. The Le Strie winery is a very small operation, animated by winemakers who directly farm about one hectare of land, producing a very limited number of bottles. The small quantity, however, as is very often the case, is also synonymous with great quality.

Le Strie Sforzato di Valtellina comes from vineyards located in two different areas: 20% of the Nebbiolo Chiavennasca grapes used belong to the Sassella subzone, while the remaining 80% come from the Valgella subzone, located near Sondrio and Teglio, respectively. The vineyards are spread over an altitude range of 400 to 600 meters above sea level and, due to the very high slopes that characterize this area, require organization according to terracing. Harvesting occurs in October and is followed by a natural drying of the bunches inside the fruttaio. In January, crushing and vinification take place, which involves a long maceration and fermentation phase with indigenous yeasts, followed by malolactic fermentation and 24 months of ageing in large oak barrels. It ends with a long rest in the bottle, making it ready for marketing.

Sforzato di Valtellina wine presents amaranth hues in the glass, dense and deep. Its bouquet is broad, complex and intense, articulated in notes of ripe and jammy red fruit, fruit under spirits and a rich, spicy texture with distinct sensations of liquorice on the finish. In the mouth, it combines very sweet tannins with a lively mineral freshness and good alcohol supply. This is an atypical Sfursat because softness and envelopment are not the predominant characteristics, a choice made by Le Strie to make the most of the freshness, thus making the drinking experience smoother. It is, therefore, a warm and full-bodied wine that knows how to involve a decisive and lively personality.