Winemaker Notes
#63 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2023
The Vineyard takes its name from the farmhouse situated at its heart. The hillside cru is distinctive for its little steep-sided valleys. Sizeable rock faces alternate with terracing supported by some of the highest dry-stone walls in Valtellina. The special colour of the rock tending towards a quartz-like white augments considerably the power of the sun leading to greater temperatures and light than in other parts of the valley so bringing out the fruitiness of the wine.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
An elegant red, with well-integrated minerally overtones, fresh juiciness and a plush texture, plus flavors of wild strawberry, fine tobacco, iron, orange peel and a touch of red licorice. The well-spiced finish keeps drawing you back for another sip. Drink now through 2030.
-
James Suckling
Sweet berry and cherry with some lemon and orange-peel character. Watermelon, too. Medium body. Medium, round tannins and a creamy finish. Lovely texture and flavors here. Drink or hold.
Italian Red Wine
While picturesque hillsides, endless coastlines and a favorable climate serve to unify the grape-growing culture of this country. The apparent never-ending world of indigenous grape varieties gives Italy an unexampled charm and allure for its red wines. From the steep inclines of the Alps to the sprawling, warm, coastal plains of the south, red grape varieties thrive throughout.
The kings of Italy, wines like Barolo and Barbaresco (made of Nebbiolo), and Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino (made of Sangiovese), as well as Amarone (mostly Corvina), play center stage for the most lauded, collected and cellar-worthy reds. Less popular but entirely deserving of as much praise are the wines made from Aglianico, Sagrantino and Nerello Mascalese.
For those accustomed to drinking New World reds, the south is the place to start. Grapes like Negroamaro or Primitvo from Puglia and Nero d’Avola from Sicily make soft, ammicable, full-bodied, fruit-dominant wines. Curious palates should be on the lookout for Cannonau (Grenache), Lagrein, Teroldego, Ruché, Freisa, Cesanese, Schiopettino, Rossese and Gaglioppo to name a few.