Arpepe Rosso Di Valtellina 2018

Valtellina, an alpine valley in the far north of Lombardy, has been producing wine for over 2000 years. Today it is known for its bright, cherry-scented wines made from the Nebbiolo grape variety, known here as Chiavennasca (after the nearby town of Chiavenna).

Nebbiolo is the grape variety behind the top-quality red wines of Piedmont, northwestern Italy, the most notable of which are Barolo and Barbaresco.

From vines more than fifty years old planted over granite, fruit is sourced from the lower parts of their parcels across the various crus at around 350-400 metres above sea level. The grapes undergo a long, gentle maceration with the skins in tini, before being pressed off to big old chestnut casks.

The grapes are firstly gently pressed and left to macerate for 90 days. Following spontaneous fermentation, the wine is racked in 50 hl foudres and aged there for 6 months before being bottled.