Valtellina Superiore e Sforzato di Valtellina - the great red wines of Lombardy

Valtellina is a region known in the world of wine for the production of high quality red wines based on Nebbiolo grapes, known locally as Chiavennasca , which here is able to adapt optimally, giving birth to long-aging wines , with a unique character , for elegance and perfumes. Located in the province of Sondrio, in a landscape characterized by terraced vineyards that follow one another without stopping, Valtellina is the only Italian wine-growing area where two DOCGs coexist, Sforzato di Valtellina and Valtellina Superiore, coinciding for vineyards and territory .

The Sforzato (or Sfursat) of Valtellina is the first Italian dry passito to be able to boast the DOCG and derives from a careful selection of the best Nebbiolo grapes, placed to dry on racks before fermentation , in order to concentrate the juices and develop particular aromatic fragrances . Valtellina Superiore is a red with important aging, austere, dry and rightly tannic, but velvety.

The denomination includes 5 sub-areas: Sassella, Maroggia, Grumello, Inferno and Valgella , each characterized by its own distinctive characteristics. Sassella, in the west of Sondrio, is the historical and most famous sub-area, Maroggia the most recent, the Grumello, north-east of Sondrio, which takes its name from the homonymous castle overlooking the valley, Valgella, the largest sub-area and Inferno, which owes its name to the difficulties due to the very harsh small terraces that distinguish it and the very high temperatures that are reached during the summer.