Valtellina Superiore Le Strie 2010

Valtellina Superiore is an intense, elegant and beautifully structured red wine produced by the small Cantina Le Strie winery. A deep and persistent wine that carries in the glass the characteristics of the magnificent and special terroir where it's produced. Valtellina is one of the few Alpine valleys, along with the Swiss Valais, to be oriented on the east-west axis and not north-south. A peculiarity that allows for an always sunny slope, beautifully exposed to south. In these special pedoclimatic conditions, viticulture has developed since ancient times, and even today the vines are cultivated on steep terraces supported by dry stone walls, rising to an altitude of 700 meters. Nebbiolo, called Chiavennasca in Valtellina, has adapted well to the Alpine terrain and produces very interesting wines, sometimes combined with small percentages of other native grape varieties. A great example is this splendid nectar, a great expression of Valtellina.

The grapes for Cantina Le Strie's Valtellina Superiore, come from small parcels of land, collectively covering just over one hectare, located in Teglio, in the Valgella subzone, and in Sondrio, in the Sassella subzone, on stony, sandy soils. The vines are located between 400 and 600 meters above sea level and have a high average age, with plants dating back to the 1940s and 1950s, often still free-range. In addition to Nebbiolo (95 percent) there is also a small percentage of Rossola, Pignola and Brugnola (5 percent), typical Valtellina vines, historically grown in the vineyards along with Chiavennasca. The small size of the production, allows Le Strie to still work in an artisanal way, paying the utmost attention to vineyard management and trying to produce wines strongly marked by terroir. After the harvest, 30 percent of the grapes are dried for about a month, followed by destemming and fermentation in steel with maceration for about 10-12 days. The wine then matures for 18 months in medium-sized oak barrels and another 6 in steel, before being bottled for several years.

The Valtellina Superiore Le Strie wine is a complex, rich and deep red that well expresses the vocation of the Valtellina territory to produce a very interesting Nebbiolo with a recognizable personality. The color is deep and intense garnet red, charged and dense. To the nose it's complex, with aromas of berries, ripe morello cherries, violets, dried flowers, medicinal herbs and licorice root. On the palate it is warm and powerful, with a tannic texture that is well integrated with the body of the wine, a harmonious freshness and a persistent finish on lingering aromas. A must try for those who want to taste the true essence of Valtellina, because, after all, as the owners say, "the wine that most represents this area is Valtellina Superiore."