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Valtellina and Valcalepio – Stefan’s Connoisseur Weblog


That is the third and ultimate a part of a brief collection concerning the wine journey I made with a bunch of the Dutch affiliation of Vinologists (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland). The primary half was about our tour of Oltrepò Pavese and the second half was about Franciacorta. After that we continued our journey in Valtellina, which is the one remaining wine producing zone with a DOCG denomination in Lombardia. On the finish of our journey we tasted some wines of Valcalepio DOC, the wine space close to town of Bergamo. However first let’s dive into Valtellina.

Valtellina is positioned within the far North of Italy, on the border with Switzerland. It’s a valley on the fault line between the tectonic plates of Africa and Europe. The collision of these two tectonic plates has created the Alps. The mountains on either side of the valley are 3000-4000 meters excessive (10,000-13,000 toes) and the valley can solely be entered from the West facet. This is the reason it was fairly a drive from Franciacorta, as a result of we needed to drive across the mountains.

Since we arrived in Valtellina at meal time, our introduction began with meals at Trattoria Olmo in Sondrio. We began by making an attempt all the antipasti on the menu, which included salumi, beef tartare (blended with chopped capers), bresaola, and sciatt. Bresaola is cured and dried beef, a typical product of Valtellina with a really deep taste. Sciatt are fritters constructed from a batter with buckwheat flour, common flour, beer, and grappa, stuffed with native Casera cheese. As a primo piatto I opted for gnocchi al mirtillo, as a result of I used to be curious how that may be. The gnocchi are constructed from blueberries and flour, and they’re served with a sauce of blueberries with some cream. It doesn’t look very appetizing, nevertheless it was scrumptious. For secondo I selected an oven roasted Galletto Vallespluga, an area small rooster.

After all there was wine from Valtellina as effectively:

  • Dirupi, Olé 2021, Rosso di Valtellina DOC
  • Boffolora, Pietrisco 2018, Valtellina Superiore DOCG
  • Federico Piliego, Valtellina Superiore Inferno DOCG 2018
  • Alfio Mozzi, Grisone, Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2018

The subsequent morning we began our exploration of the wines of Valtellina by a go to to the Consorzio di Tutela dei Vini di Valtellina. Danilo Drucco, president of the consorzio and chief winemaker of Nino Negri, gave us an fascinating overview of the wine producing space.

The west-east orientation provides the south-facing slope of the valley a selected microclimate as a result of publicity to the solar. One other vital issue is the wind from the Como lake that happens day by day. The rocks within the vineyards warmth up in the course of the day and launch that heat once more in the course of the night time. Due to the excessive mountains on either side of the valley, there are much less clouds, making Valtellina as sunny as Sicily. It’s actually rather a lot cooler than in Sicily, however it’s heat sufficient for the grapes to ripen and close to the vineyards there are additionally palm timber, cactuses, and olive timber.

Viticulture was already round in Valtellina in Roman instances, when the primary terraces have been constructed. The terraces are wanted as a result of the slopes are very steep, as much as 85% steepness. The whole size of all of the dry stone partitions that have been constructed for the terraces is about 2,500 km (1,500 miles). A lot of the terraces nonetheless in use at present have been constructed between 1300 and 1500.

There are quite a lot of catholic church buildings in Valtellina, as a result of it’s on the border between the protestants to the north and the catholics to the south. The catholic monks acknowledged the standard potential of Nebbiolo, and altered all the vines to Nebbiolo. Valtellina nonetheless focusses on that noble grape selection, the identical that’s used for the well-known Barolo and Barbaresco from Langhe in Piemonte. It’s nonetheless a clone that has tailored to the native circumstances and known as Chiavennasca. It has tailored to the chilly winter and enormous temperature distinction between night time and day in addition to fast adjustments between dry and moist by having bigger grapes and thicker skins. The soil can be totally different in Valtellina in comparison with Langhe: Valtellina has shallow soils with quite a lot of stones, fairly than deep soils with clay within the Langhe. Due to this, wines from Valtellina have a extra mineral character, which compensates for the smaller quantity of tannins (about 30% much less) in comparison with Langhe.

One of the best vineyards are mid-slope, between 300 and 600 meters above sea degree. That is the place the grapes for Valtellina Superiore DOCG are grown. The decrease or larger a part of the slopes is used for Rosso di Valtellina DOC, or for Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG. The latter, also referred to as Sfursat within the native dialect, is constructed from grapes are picked 1-2 weeks earlier when the tannins are ripe however they aren’t but excessive in sugar, and are then dried naturally for 100 days to lose 30% of their weight. This system was initially developed to compensate for low alcohol ranges, however because of local weather change Sforzato now reaches 15-16% alcohol by quantity. Sugar ranges can be even larger if the grapes weren’t picked 1-2 weeks earlier. The grapes are dried by the pure wind from lake Como. The wind is chilly within the morning and heat within the afternoon. Typically a fan is required whether it is too humid, particularly in the course of the first days of drying or when it rains.

Valtellina Superiore DOCG must be aged not less than 2 years, of which 1 yr in wooden. The Riserva should be aged not less than 3 years. There are 5 subzones, from West to East they’re: Maroggia, Sassella, Grumello, Inferno e Valgella. Though wines from particular person subzones have their very own DOCG (e.g. Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG), the subzones do not likely have a powerful character that’s simple to acknowledge. It is because Valtellina has a posh terroir as a result of fault line, and variations between terraces inside a subzone will be fairly massive. For one terrace can have a lot deeper soil than one other one in the identical subzone. Nevertheless, because the title implies, Inferno is the most popular subzone.

Valtellina has about 1000 hectares of vineyards and about 60 wineries, most of them small, and most of them work with their very own grapes. Though Valtellina is usually planted with Nebbiolo, there are some experiments with different varieties together with white, below the IGT Alpi Retiche denomination.

After the presentation we may style 37 totally different wines (wines with a tasting impression have been my private favorites; all wines 100% Nebbiolo except famous in any other case):

  • Alberto Marsetti, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Grumello Vigna Le Prudenze 2018, stunning aroma
  • Alberto Marsetti, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Grumello 2018
  • Luca Faccinelli, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Grumello Ortensio Lando 2018
  • Rupi del Nebbiolo, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Creazione 2017
  • Rupi del Nebbiolo, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Tradizione 2017
  • Rupi del Nebbiolo, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG 2018
  • Plozza, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG Blackedition 2017
  • Balgera, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Maferin 2015
  • Balgera, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Quigna Reserva 2013, aromatic, ageing potential
  • Balgera, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Pizaméi Riserva 2013
  • Balgera, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG Solstizio 2013
  • Balgera, Passito Rosso IGT Alpi Retiche Luca Primo (candy sforzato, aged 8 years in metal)
  • La Perla, Valtellina Superiore DOCG La Mossa 2015, mineral, juicy, physique
  • La Perla, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva Elisa 2015
  • La Perla, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG Quattro Soli 2015, fragrant
  • Involt Agnelot, Alpi Retiche IGT Li Curt 2015 (90% Nebbiolo, 5% Brugnola, 3% Pignola, 2% others)
  • Involt Agnelot, Alpi Retiche IGT Carline 2015 (90% Nebbiolo, 5% Brugnola, 5% Pignola)
  • Involt Agnelot, Alpi Retiche IGT La Purscela 2015 (80% Nebbiolo, 15% Brugnola, 5% Pignola)
  • Folini Francesco, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva L’Enrico 2018, mineral
  • Folini Francesco, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva Vigneto Dos Bel 2018
  • Mamete Prevostini, Rosso Botonero Alpi Retiche IGT 2021
  • Mamete Prevostini, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Inferno La Cruus 2019
  • Mamete Prevostini, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG Corte di Cama 2018
  • La Grazia, Alpi Retiche IGT Bianco Zerovero 2020 (Solaris, Bronner, Johanniter, Souvigner, Muscaris, i.e. hybrid illness resistent varieties)
  • La Grazia, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Goccia 2016
  • La Grazie, Alpi Retiche IGT Spumante Metodo Classico Rosé Brut (glowing Nebbiolo)
  • Le Strie, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Le Strie 2009, earthy, aged, balanced
  • Le Strie, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG 2014
  • La Spia, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Sassella PG40 2018, good aroma and physique
  • La Spia, Rosso di Valtellina DOC 2021
  • Triacca, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Casa La Gatta 2018
  • Triacca, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva La Gatta 2017, tobacco, juicy
  • Triacca, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Prestigio 2017
  • Triacca, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG San Domenico 2017
  • Fratelli Bettini, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Inferno Prodigio 2017
  • Dirupi, Valtellina Superiore DOCG BIO 2019
  • Dirupi, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Grumello Vigna Gess 2018

Afterwards we had an exquisite lunch at Grand Resort Della Posta. The antipasti included sciatt (much more scrumptious than yesterday for dinner), bresaola, and native smoked trout.

The primo piatto was manfrigole: buckwheat pancakes filled with bechamel and casera cheese, served with butter and sage. Very wealthy and really scrumptious.

Naturally there was Valtellina Superiore DOCG with lunch as effectively, and we loved a few of our favourite wines from the morning’s tasting with our lunch.

After lunch Danilo Drucco confirmed us across the winery of Nino Negri inside the Grumello subzone, which has been named after the Grumello fortress and presents a powerful view of the valley.

We then continued to the Nino Negri vineyard, the most important vineyard in Valtellina. Nino Negri has 35 hectares of vineyards and was began in 1897.

The wines we tasted at Nino Negri have been:

  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG Valgella Fracia 2018, nonetheless younger however ripe tannins and spicy, 1 yr massive slavonic oak
  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG Valgella Fracia 2009, fragrant and velvety however robust tannins, 1 yr slavonic oak, half barrique
  • Valtellina Sforzato DOCG Carlo Negri 2019, nonetheless younger, black plums
  • Valtellina Sforzato DOCG Carlo Negri 2009, aged, highly effective, rose hip
  • Valtellina Sforzato DOCG 5 Stelle 2018, spicy, highly effective
  • Valtellina Sforzato DOCG 5 Stelle 1995, velvety tannins, chocolate, contemporary, physique, balanced, orange peel

It was nice that we had the chance to style the Sforzato 5 Stelle from 1995. That is the flagship wine of the corporate, which is aged in barriques (50% new) fairly than massive oak barrels for the ‘common’ Sforzato Carlo Negri. This wine was launched in 1983 to indicate that it’s doable to make an enormous fruity wine in Valtellina with the style of black fruit.

Our subsequent go to was to the vineyard ArPePe, positioned simply beneath the Grumello winery of Nino Negri. ArPePe is a household enterprise, with the fifth era because the begin in 1860. They’ve 50 hectares of vineyards in Sassella, Grumello, and Inferno, with vines which are about 50 years outdated.

All of the wine making at ArPePe is finished in some massive concrete and principally massive wood barrels, that are made with steam as an alternative of fireside to make sure the neutrality of the wooden. The wine making may be very conventional with very lengthy maceration, so long as 130 days in 2018. Geothermal warmth is used to warmth essentially the most to begin the malolactic fermentation, that can be carried out with the skins. The wine can be aged longer earlier than it’s launched than required by the denomination.

2022 seems like it can change into a very good classic regardless of the dry and sizzling summer season, as a result of massive temperature distinction between day and night time within the final weeks earlier than the harvest.

We tasted the next wines at ArPePe:

  • Rosso di Valtellina DOC 2020, aged for five months in massive wooden, a lightweight wine each in colour and taste. As a consequence of hail in 2020 a lot of the harvest was misplaced and solely this wine was produced.
  • Il Pettirosso Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2018, a mix of Sassella and Grumello, macerated for 100 days qne aged for 12 months in wooden. Sassella with shallow soils offers the minerality, whereas Grumello with deeper soils offers the flesh.
  • Rocca de Piro Valtellina Superiore Grumello DOCG 2017, macerated for 120 days and aged for 12 months in wooden.
  • Stella Retica Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2017, extra structured and mineral than the Rocca de Piro.
  • Sesto Canto Valtellina Superiore Riserva Inferno DOCG 2016, aged for 34 months in chestnut massive oval barrels which are 55 years outdated, comfortable tannins. The riserva is just produced in the most effective years, solely in 2013, 2016 and 2018 within the decade 2010-2020.
  • Il Pettirosso Valtellina Superiore DOCG 1999, vinified in concrete and aged for 4 years in massive oak. Fantastically aged, complicated, and contemporary with velvety tannins.

All the wines of ArPePe have been remarkably elegant, particularly contemplating the lengthy maceration.

We arrived a bit early at restaurant Trippi for dinner (which by the way was a restaurant that I had been to myself final yr). And so we ordered a pleasant native glowing wine, La Perla Metodo Classico Further Brut 2018, Alpi Retiche IGT, constructed from the autochthonous purple berried grape selection Pignola and aged for 2 years on the lees after the second fermentation. This was served with complimentary native salumi and cheeses.

As antipasti we had buckwheat crostini with smoked native trout, bresaola with Taroz (mashed potatoes and inexperienced beans with native Casera cheese), manfrigole (buckwheat pancakes stuffed with bechamel and Casera cheese, with butter and saged and crispy pancetta), pork cheeks, and semifreddo of Braulio (native amaro).

Representatives from the wineries Balgera and Tenuta Scerscé have been current and served their good wines with dinner:

  • Tenuta Scerscé Essenza Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2018
  • Tenuta Scerscé Flammante Valtellina Superiore Inferno DOCG 2019
  • Tenuta Scerscé Cristina Scarpellini Valtellina Superiore Riserva Valgella DOCG 2018
  • Balgera Maferìn Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG 2015
  • Balgera Pizaméi Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG 2013
  • Balgera Valtellina Superiore Valgella Riserva DOCG 2005
  • Balgera Valtellina Superiore Riserva del Fondatore DOCG 1995

The wines from Balgera have been extra conventional and the wines from Scerscé moder fashionable, however each have been good. It was particularly good that we obtained to take pleasure in such effectively aged wines by Balgera.

The subsequent morning we continued our tour of Valtellina at Sandro Fay. This vineyard was based by Sandro, however is now run by his son and daughter Marco and Elena Fay. They’ve 15 hectares of vineyards and produce between 65,000 and 80,000 bottles per yr. The vineyard began with just a few scattered plots with a complete dimension of 1 hectare, however Sandro acquired different plots till he owned a whole winery in Teglio within the subzone Valgella, between 300 and 800 meters above sea degree. The vineyard additionally has 1 hectare in Sassella.

The wines within the tasting room are displayed at numerous heights in accordance with the assorted altitudes at which the wines are produced. Corta Bassa is produced from grapes that develop at lower than 450 metres above sea degree, the place it’s extra humid, colder in winter, and warmer in summer season, and the skins of the grapes are thinner. Between 450 and 600 meters above sea degree are the only winery wines with extra complexity. Above 600 meters the grapes have extra acidity and freshness and are due to this fact excellent to make sforzato. Lastly at 830 meters above sea degree, from 2017 Sandro Fay produces Chardonnay below the Alpi Retiche IGT denomination.

It was nice that we additionally obtained to go to the fruttaio, the place the grapes are dried till not less than the first of December after the harvest for the sforzato. The grapes are principally dried by the wind, but when it rains, the home windows are closed and a fan takes over. Drying the grapes reduces their weight by about 30%. The same old yield of wine from a kilo of grapes is about 0.7 litres, however with sforzato that is solely 0.5 litres. The grapes for sforzato should be wholesome with out botrytis. There may be 4.5 kilos (10 kilos) of grapes in every crate. Usually the harvest is accomplished on the finish of October, however now it was already completed by mid October. Sandro Fay produced round 7,500 bottles of sforzato.

The Sotcastèl Apli Retiche IGT Chardonnay 2020 was already offered out (that is why you see an empty shelf within the tasting room on the highest degree), however we have been allowed to style the 2021 classic instantly from the barrel. This wine was very crisp and mineral.

We tasted six extra wines at Sandro Fay:

  • Costa Bassa Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG 2019, elegant and dry
  • Il Glicine Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2018, juicy with ripe tannins
  • Ca’ Moreì Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG 2018, extra tannins, nonetheless younger
  • Carteria Valtellina Superiore Riserva Valgella DOCG 2017, aged 2 years in massive wooden, balsamic, blood orange, elegant, not as fruity
  • La Faya Alpi Retiche IGT 2019, 70% Syrah, 30% Merlot, mint aroma
  • Rocco del Principe Valtellina Sforzato DOCG 2019, aged for two years in massive wooden, spicy, hefty tannins

We had lunch at Cà d’Otello, the restaurant of Elena Fay’s husband. We began with a Dirupi Metodo Classico Dosaggio zero Rosé 2018, aged for greater than three years on the lees. The principle dish for lunch was Chisciöi, buckwheat pancakes stuffed with Casera cheese (a pan-fried model of manfrigole) with bresaola. We additionally had some native cheese and apple pie with ice cream for dessert. After the spumante we loved La Spia PG40 Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2018, which we ordered as a result of it had been one our favorites from the tasting on the Consorzio.

The ultimate vineyard we visited in Valtellina was Rainoldi. One other household enterprise, based in 1925 by Aldo Rainoldi, with 11 hectares of vineyards, principally in Sassella. The wines at Rainoldi are made for 40% with their very own grapes, the remaining 60% is bought from different growers.

Rainoldi has a contemporary model and makes use of each massive wooden and small barriques. Other than Valtellina Superiore and Sforzato, additionally they produce glowing Nebbiolo and Sauvignon Blanc, planted in a windy space at 600 meters above sea degree. A few of their vineyards are so steep {that a} helicopter is used to move the grapes rapidly to the vineyard.

The tasting room was within the cellar of the vineyard. Right here we have been informed concerning the legend of how sforzato got here into existence. Within the outdated days, farmers needed to pay the hire for his or her land by handing off a sure share of their crops. Attempting to cheat this technique, they saved some grapes hidden to make wine later within the winter. Then they found that this wine tasted significantly better, and so sforzato was born.

The wines we tasted at Rainoldi have been:

  • Ghibellino Alpi Retiche IGT Sauvignon Blanc 2021, typical Sauvignon aromas, crisp, will change into very mineral with ageing
  • Valtellina Superiore Riserva Inferno DOCG 2018, produced solely in good vintages, aged in French barriques (10% new), can age for 15-20 years, earthy, full bodied and balanced
  • Vigna degli Apostoli Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2015, aged for twenty-four months in 100% new tonneaux (900 litres), mineral fairly than fruity
  • Crespino Alpi Retiche IGT 2017, 90% Nebbiolo, 10% Merlot, grapes dried briefly (till 15% weight reduction, half of sforzato), aged 12 months in new French barriques, dry tannins
  • Valtellina Sfursat DOCG 2019, aged 22 months in massive oak, aroma of cocoa and cherry brandy
  • Fruttaio Ca’ Rizzieri Valtellina Sfursat DOCG 2009, grapes dried in a fruttaio that’s excessive within the mountains with extra wind, so that they dry out extra. That is a sublime classic with an extended ageing potential. Elegant with a mineral aroma, alcohol a bit too current presently.
  • Fruttaio Ca’ Rizzieri Valtellina Sfursat DOCG 2001, complicated, elegant, balanced, aromas of mushrooms, cherry brandy, and cocoa.

Our ultimate vacation spot was Bergamo, and the native unknown wine area Valcalepio DOC. We had dinner at restaurant Ol Giopì e la Margi in Bergamo, and Matteeo Manzoni, the wine maker of the native cooperative, the Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, was there with 22 wines for us to take pleasure in with dinner on behalf of the Consorzio Tutela Valcalepio. Valcalepio DOC was created in 1976. The manufacturing space is on the south-west of Lake Iseo, and thus adjoining to Franciacorta. The principle wine is Valcalepio Rosso, a mix of 25%-60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40-75% Merlot. The wine must be aged not less than 1 yr of which 3 months in wooden, and three years of which 1 yr in wooden for the Riserva.There may be additionally Valcalepio Bianco, with 55%-80% Pinot Bianco and/or Chardonnay, and 20%-45% Pinot Grigio, in addition to Valcalepio Moscato Passito. We additionally tasted some wines from the comparatively new denomination Colleoni DOC that was created in 2011. Colleoni DOC or Terre del Colleoni DOC is a denomination for single selection wines from the identical manufacturing space as Valcalepio from Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Incrocio Manzoni (a crossing between Glera and Cabernet Sauvignon), Moscato, Pinot Grigio, Schiava, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Franconia (Blaufränkisch), Incrocio Terzi (a crossing between Barbera and Cabernet Franc), and Marzemino.

The 22 wines we tasted and drank with dinner have been:

  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Colleoni DOC Spumante Brut Millesimato Metodo Classico 2016 from Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Incrocio Manzoni, aged 24 months on the lees
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Valcalepio Bianco DOC 2019
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Terre del Colleoni DOC Incrocio Manzoni 6.01.13 bio 2020
  • Cascina del Ronco, Elegia Franconia della Bergamasca IGT 2021 (rosé)
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Terre del Colleoni DOC Schiava rosé 2021
  • Magri Sereno, Valcalepio DOC Rosso 2020
  • Il Cipresso, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Dionisio 2019
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso bio 2018
  • Tosca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Rosso del Lupo 2018
  • La Rovere, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Senesco 2017
  • Cascina del Ronco, Valcalepio DOC Rosso
  • Locatelli Caffi, Valcalepio Rosso I Pilendrì 2017
  • Locatelli Caffi, Valcalepio Rosso Riserva 2016
  • Magri Sereno, Valcalepio Rosso Riserva 2018
  • Tosca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Dionigi 2018
  • Tosca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Bemu 2018
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Akros 2015
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Akros 2008
  • Il Cipresso, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Bartolomeo 2015
  • La Rovere, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Sancta Crux 2015
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Vigna del Conte 2015
  • Cantina Sociale Bergamasca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Vigna del Conte 2008

All the reds have been just like Bordeaux, start a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot aged in wooden, however maybe with extra freshness than Bordeaux these days typically has, and a greater value to high quality ratio.

The meals was very good. Antipasti: Capù de Parr (stuffed cabbage), candy and bitter greens, polenta with anchovies, salumi and cheese. Primi: contemporary pasta with hair and cocoa, risotto with squash, sausage, and Taleggio cream. Secondo: roast veal with potato cream and spinach. Dolce: pear and chocolate cake.

We ended the ultimate day of our journey with a guided tour of the historic Città Alta of Bergamo, the place we loved Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta as aperitif, and a lunch at Osteria Valtellina close to Milan Linate airport. I had polpette di melanzane (eggplant ‘meatballs’) and a typical Milanese dish: risotto al salto con funghi porcini (fried risotto with porcini mushrooms). The wines we had with our late lunch have been Rosso di Valtellina DOC 2017 and Valtellina Superiore Grumello DOCG 2016, each by Gianatti Giorgio.

Altogether we tasted 137 totally different wines throughout this journey: 21 from Oltrepò Pavese, 16 from Franciacorta, 78 from Valtellina, and 22 from Valcalepio. Through the first 4 days this was a mean of 34 wines per day, with a most of 57 totally different wines on the third day. So it was not simply enjoyable, but additionally arduous work 🙂 In the event you now assume that we’re all alcoholics or have been drunk all day, you’re mistaken. After we style wine, we spit most of it out. With lunch and dinner we do drink some wine, however in average portions. It was nice to get to know the wines of Lombardia a bit higher, and I can’t anticipate the subsequent wine journey to Italy with Fred Nijhuis and the VVN.



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