Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva Ultimi Raggi 2018 ARPEPE

Tasting Notes

The first thing you notice is the aroma. Dried roses, wild strawberries, orange zest and something smoky to match the tar, iron and alpine herbs. The color is pale, almost translucent, but that's normal for Sassella and won't fool anyone. On the palate, the 2018 wine has fine, chalky tannins with a spine of high acidity running through it; it's less brooding and more transparent than the 2017; it has a long finish that is salty rather than sweet. This wine drinks well with air, but it is just beginning its development.

Grape Varieties

100% Nebbiolo, the local name for Chiavennasca. Does Nebbiolo behave differently here on granite slopes at 700 meters above sea level than it does in Langhe? Nebbiolo retains acidity and low color for a long time, and the aromas emphasize floral and red fruits rather than dark cherry and tar. The tannins are harsher than they appear. Alpine character is the key.

Cellaring Potential

Drinkable now, but I'd hold off a bit: 2026-2040, perhaps even longer. Acidity and fine granite-like tannins are at the heart of this wine; store horizontally, away from light, at a stable temperature of 12-14°C. After 10 years, the floral notes will disappear, replaced by truffle, leather and dried herbs.

The Producer

Most connoisseurs of Nebbiolo will think of Piemonte. ARPEPE has insisted for 40 years that Valtellina, located on nearly vertical granite terraces south of the Swiss border, produces equally attractive wines. The estate was founded in 1984 by Arturo Pellizzatti Perego after the sale of the Pellizzatti family business in the 1970s. He started with six hectares and a single label; since 2004, the estate has been run by his children, Isabella, Emanuele and Guido. We believe they produce the most unique Nebbiolo outside of Piemonte.

Terroir & Climate

Sassella is located on the most shallow and rocky land in the Valtellina Superiore subzone. It is sandy soil with decomposed granite and gneiss rocks, with very low organic matter and good drainage. Why it's important. Because Nebbiolo on granite produces different wines than Nebbiolo on the calcareous marl of Barolo. The south-facing terraces at 350-700 meters above sea level, with the addition of cool mountain breezes from the Rhaetian Alps, ensure long and slow maturation.

Winemaking

Crucial to ARPEPE is what they don't do. No barriques, no new oak, no toasting. After fermentation, the wine is left on the skins for a long, gentle maceration to eliminate harshness and reveal tannins and flavors. Aging takes place in large, old chestnut, Slavonian and French oak barrels that are steam-fired, not toasted. Riserva varieties such as Ultimi Raggi are aged in barrels for almost five years and then bottled. It is released for sale when the family allows it.

Food Pairing

High acidity and fine-grained tannins call for fat and salt, not heavy sauces. Try it:

• Pizzoccheri, local buckwheat pasta with cabbage, potatoes and casera cheese.
• Bresaola della Valtellina, thinly sliced with olive oil and lemon.
• Brasato al vino, slow cooked beef.
• Aged cheese

Served at 16-18°C; decant one hour before serving.