Valtellina Sassella Sforzato

Wines

Deep and well-balanced, this Sforzato from Valtellina, is a mountain-produced, dry passito made from Nebbiolo. It has a round palate and is bursting with ripe currant and dark mature fruit. Very balanced and terrific finish.

Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG rules require the grapes be partially dried prior to pressing to obtain the required 14% alcohol content, and in this regard Valtellina’s drier and cooler winter months are quite important. The process is reminiscent of what we know of Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG in Veneto, and the wine is classified as a Passito type.

Appellation: Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG

Type: Red, dry, passito wine

Varietal: 100% Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo).

Wine Details:

Tasting Notes:

Color: Dark ruby red.

Bouquet: Full, with deeper fruit notes than the standard Valtellina wines, yet still ethereal, with hints of leather and tobacco..

Taste: Dry with velvety tannins, a richer and fuller body with rich fruit notes and a very long finish.

Alcohol: 14%.

Serving Suggestion: Serve at 15/16º C (59/61º F). We recommend you decant the wine and let it ‘breathe’ before serving in a large Nebbiolo glass.

Pairing: Great by itself as a contemplative wine. It pairs nicely with wild game, grilled meat, stews, mature cheeses or even with your favorite dark chocolate. It is stellar with Bresaola (an air-dried, salted beef salumi from Valtellina and the region’s Bitto cheese.

Vinyard Notes:

Production Area: Castione Andevenno, Sondrio, Valtellina.

Soil: Sandy limestone.

Winemaking Notes:

Vinification: After careful harvesting by hand in 7lb.-crates, selecting the grape clusters that are sparse and completely, they are dried in a special larder for three months. Frequent inspections follow throughout the period to ensure proper drying. After they are de-stememd and caused to ferment in small stainless steel containers.

Aging: 18-months in 20hl French oak botti with an additional six months in the bottle before release.