Do you like Barolo and Barbaresco? Made from the Nebbiolo grape, these wines are known for their tannic vice-grip combined with a complex array of fruit, floral, and pepper aromas and flavors.
The Piemonte region of Italy, with the Barolo and Barbaresco locations within its borders, is the much more familiar source of Nebbiolo-based wines. However, there is another location, to the north, that deserves attention for its Nebbiolo wines: Valtellina, in the north of Lombardia.
Watch a brief video overview of the Nebbiolo wines of Valtellina:
Situated at the very north of Italy, near the Swiss borders and with views of the Alps, Valtellina is gaining more prominence outside its immediate area (and Switzerland, long an importer of these wines).
The vineyards are planted on terraced mountain sides, and run east-west along the north bank of the Adda River, just south of the Swiss border. This geology and geography result in a combination of sun exposure and wind conditions (coming from Lake Como, to the west) that make for a unique wine.
Made from Nebbiolo (locally known as “Chiavennasca”), these wines share the tannic grip of their cousins to the south in Piemonte, but are leaner and “sharper”. The wine drinker with the patience to let these wines open, in the glass or in a decanter, is rewarded with amazingly complex wines that balance fruit, earth, roses, and peppery spice, to rival those of Piemonte.
Even more interesting are the wines made in the “Sforzato” style. Are you familiar with Amarone, the powerful Veneto wine made by drying grapes prior to making wine from them? “Sforzato” from Valtellina is made similarly. Given its northerly location (and climate), it is difficult to ripen Nebbiolo (already a finicky grape). After harvesting in late September to early October, grapes are dried in small boxes for two or three months, prior to fermentation; this raises sugar content (but not sweetness in the resulting wine) to feed the yeast and produce more powerful wines. It is not unusual to see a Sforzato with 15% alcohol.
Given the location of Valtellina, local customs—and subsequently cuisine—can be similar to those of the Swiss. Hearty mountain dishes include ingredients like buckwheat pasta, potatoes, cabbage, beans, cheese, and roasted and cured meats. These match the tannic and acidic Valtellina wines quite well.
Will you try a Valtellina Nebbiolo?
Looking for Valtellina wines:
You are more likely to find wines of the Valtellina in stores that have relatively varied Italian wine selections. Since Italian wine shelves tend to be organized by region, you would be likely to see them near the Piemonte wines (including Barolo and Barbaresco).
As with European wines (and Italian wines) in general, knowing a few things about reading labels opens up the world. Labels will usually include the winemaker and may have a “brand” name, but since many Valtellina wines have DOCG status, there are a few key terms to look for (and importantly, “not” to look for).
What you will see on the label:
Valtellina Superiore DOCG – these are wines made from grapes from the 4 “superiore” vineyard locations within the Valtellina. Some wines also have a “Riserva” word at the end, meaning it was aged for longer, usually in oak, and may have more alcohol
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG – made in the “Sforzato” style described above, where the grapes are dried to increase alcohol content
Valtellina DOC – made outside of the 4 “superiore” vineyards but within the protected vineyards of Valtellina.
What you *will not see* on the label – Nebbiolo or Chiavennasca, the grape name.
Recipes from the Valtellina Region:
Pizzocheri (from Great Italian Chefs)
Taroz (from The International Kitchen)