Valtellina Superiore 'Il Pettirosso' Ar.Pe.Pe. 2018

The Valtellina Superiore "Il Pettirosso" by Ar.Pe.Pe. is a red wine made from Chiavennasca grapes, the local name for Nebbiolo in Valtellina. It's a mountain wine that prioritizes freshness, elegance, and expressive finesse over concentration. It's a faithful representation of Nebbiolo's terroir, perfectly in line with its characteristics and with the philosophy of the Arpepe Winery, which has always been dedicated to showcasing the unique traits of this splendid alpine valley with ancient traditions.

The red Valtellina Superiore "Il Pettirosso" is produced by the Ar.Pe.Pe. Winery. Founded in 1984 by Arturo Pellizzatti Perego, it arose from the desire to produce great wines that directly express the territory and highlight the noble characteristics of mountain Nebbiolo. The estate covers 13 hectares divided into various plots located in the areas of Sassella, Grumello, and Inferno. Valtellina is one of the very few alpine valleys with an east-west orientation, allowing for a beautifully south-facing slope. It is through the centuries of working with terraces and dry stone walls on the steep mountain slopes that vine cultivation has developed. This is a heroic viticulture, with all manual work, including cultivation and harvesting, which requires a lot of effort and many hours of work. The vineyards are located between 400 and 500 meters above sea level, on soils rich in gravel and often with underlying bedrock. Harvesting takes place in the second half of October, and the grapes ferment in 50-hectoliter wooden vats with a maceration on the skins of about 3 months, using only indigenous yeasts. The wine then ages in 50-hectoliter wooden vats and casks for 12 months.

The Valtellina Superiore "Il Pettirosso" by Ar.Pe.Pe. is an ideal label to understand how Nebbiolo expresses itself in the Valtellina territory and to appreciate its distinctive mountain characteristics. The wine has a garnet red colour. On the nose, it expresses a bouquet of small wild berries, cherries, fruit in spirits, liquorice root, and delicate spices. The palate is long and intense, with complex aromas, a fine, evolved tannic texture, and a pleasantly fresh finish.