The Valtellina, along with the Mosel in Germany and the Duoro in Portugal, are among the most difficult wine growing areas in the world. Vines trellised on steep hillsides make for backbreaking labor and are subject to frequent flooding and landslides. It is only the tenacity and pride of dedicated growers that keep the enterprise alive in these relatively remote and untouristed Alpine valleys.
The Conti Sertoli Salis estate has been a cornerstone of the region since the 16th century The estate itself is virtually on the Swiss border, and closer to St. Moritz than Milan. The current head of the family, Cesare Salis, has refurbished their historic underground cellars, and highly respected oenologist Claudio Introini has produced outstanding wines of national reputation in both Italy and Switzerland.
The primary grape of the region is Nebbiolo, famed in the lower vineyards of Piemonte as Barolo and Barbaresco. In this colder climate, the grape does not ripen as fully. But though lighter in color and more pinot-noir like than its southern cousins, the Valtellina wines are no less intense in flavor and length. Furthermore, their finest wine, called “Sforzato,” is made with Nebbiolo grapes that are dried after harvesting, like the Amarones of Valpolicella. This makes for a deeply colored and flavored wine that is silky and satisfying, the perfect companion on a cold winter night.
The Sforzato of Conti Sertoli Salis, called Canua, has been awarded the coveted “ Tre Bicchieri” (Three Glasses), the highest ranking of Slow Food/Gambero Rosso’s definitive Italian wine guide, Vini d’Italia. Their Valtellina Superiore, Corte della Meridiana, is also a highly-rated Nebbiolo which has been enhanced with a “ripasso” (passing over) of the Sforzato lees. A third wine, Il Saloncello is Nebbiolo that includes some whole berry fermentation. This makes for a lighter and fruitier wine which is delicious when still young.
www.sertolisalis.com (in Italian)
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