Valtellina Superiore Le Strie 2011

The Valtellina Superiore is a red intense, elegant and of remarkable structure, produced by the small Cantina Le Strie. A deep and persistent wine that brings into the glass the characteristics of the magnificent and unique terroir of origin. Valtellina is one of the few alpine valleys, along with the Swiss Valais, oriented along the east-west axis rather than north-south. A peculiarity that allows for a consistently sunny slope, beautifully exposed to the south. In these particular pedoclimatic conditions, viticulture has developed since ancient times and even today the vineyards are cultivated on steep terraces supported by dry stone walls, rising up to 700 meters in altitude. The Nebbiolo, known as Chiavennasca in Valtellina, has adapted well to the alpine territory and produces very interesting wines, sometimes blended with small percentages of other native grape varieties. A great example of this splendid nectar, a concentrate of Valtellina.

covering just over one hectare, located in Teglio, in the Valgella subzone and in Sondrio, in the Sassella subzone, on stony and sandy soils. The vineyards are situated between 400 and 600 meters in altitude and have a high average age, with plants dating back to the 1940s and 1950s, often still on their own roots. In addition to Nebbiolo (95%), there is also a small percentage of Rossola, Pignola and Brugnola (5%), typical grape varieties of Valtellina, historically cultivated in the vineyards alongside Chiavennasca. The limited production size allows Le Strie to still work in an artisanal manner, paying maximum attention to vineyard management and striving to create wines strongly marked by the terroir. After the harvest, a 30% of the grapes is dried for about a month, followed by destemming and fermentation in steel with maceration for about 10-12 days. The wine then matures for 18 months in medium-sized oak barrels and for another 6 in steel, before being bottled for several years.

The Valtellina Superiore Le Strie wine is a