Date of visit: June 10, 2024
We arrived in Valtellina on June 9th. This was our first time visiting the area, but it definitely won’t be our last. The scenery is breathtaking, the food is delicious, and ARPEPE’s wines are of course outstanding. Our only regret is not budgeting enough time in the area.
As we pulled into the driveway of the estate, we found ourselves looking head on with the steep terraced vineyards. It was like nothing we’d ever seen. We were soon joined by Isabella, who along with her brothers, Emanuele, and Guido, run the estate today. Before entering the cellar, Isabella spoke to us about their work in the vineyards. The steep nature of their vineyards means that all work must be completed by hand, a time consuming and back breaking process. This equates to 1,500 hours of work per hectare of vineyard each year. The terraces, which have been here for centuries, span a jaw dropping 2,000 kilometers, and are so vast and elaborate that they have a dedicated team which handles terrace maintenance.
Valtellina once had a whopping 8,000 hectares of vineyards, but over the years forests took over much of this. Today the region has 850 hectares under vine (15 of which is owned by ARPEPE), and 2,000 winegrowers. What’s amazing is that just 20 years ago there were only 20 winemakers.
Isabella explained that so far this year they’ve seen a lot of rain which has led to high humidity, and high risk of mildew. However, despite the heavy rain the region was currently experiencing, they’d previously been plagued by a drought up until May 22nd, which in combination with record setting temperatures, caused 600 new plants to die.
We entered the cellar and Isabella explained that next door to the cellar is their own geothermal plant which manages the cellar temperature and also the barrel temperatures. Within this facility they also generate their own nitrogen to put into their barrels which allows them to use minimal amounts of sulfites. Within the cellar itself, all of the barrels used are produced by Garbellotto and are made from a mixture of wood species; the front of the barrel is made of oak, the back acacia, and the round part which surrounds the barrel is chestnut.
For more information about this amazing producer, we encourage you to visit their website here.
Tasting notes:
2022 Rosso di Valtellina: 100 day maceration. Pronounced aromas of red currants, cranberries, citrus, stone, and crushed rocks, all of which carries over to the palate, along with pine and rosemary. Very fresh, bright, energetic, and juicy, with fine silky tannins. This finishes long with lingering flavors of red berries, spice, and licorice.
2021 Il Pettirosso: Made from a blend of Sassella and Grumello this wine undergoes a 80-100 day long maceration. 6,000 bottles produced. Beautiful aromas of roses, red fruits, and cherry blossoms, all of which translates directly over to the palate. A silky smooth mouthfeel with fine grained tannins, lively acidity, and a persistent finish. Very approachable and enjoyable today.
2019 Sassella Stella Retica: This undergoes a 100+ day maceration. The nose is extremely expressive and is filled with delicate notes of roses and cooked strawberries which carry over to the palate which is crunchy, juicy, mineral driven, and has very fine teeth coating tannins. Very bright and fresh, with impeccable balance, and an extremely long finish.
2019 Inferno Fiamme Antiche: Beautiful aromas of roses and tea leaves rise from the glass. The palate is juicy, mouthwatering, and filled with fine but bracing tannins, with a slight spice and warmth on the finish.
2016 Grumello Riserva Buon Consiglio: Harvest took place late October into early November, and this saw close to 100 days of maceration. An elegant, highly complex, and expressive nose, filled with spices, cloves, licorice, iodine, raspberries, blackberries, roses, and blueberries. Incredibly silky mouthfeel, yet the power of this wine still pleasantly shines through. The aging potential is evident, however, it’s already showing magnificently. If you have more than one bottle don’t hesitate to open one of them today to check in on it.
2016 Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse: Anise, allspice, roses, flowers, red fruits, wet stone, and tar lead the way on the nose. The palate is filled with crunchy red fruits and is more structured, bigger, weightier, and austere than the Grumello Riserva Buon Consiglio. This is approachable and enjoyable today like all the wines tasted, but will reward those who have the restraint to cellar this for a few more years.
Thank You
Grazie mille Isabella for the wonderful tour and tasting! We loved all of your wines, and loved learning about your amazing estate! We hope to see you again soon! A presto!
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