ArPePe Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella 'Rocce Rosse' 2007

Country: Italy

Region: Valtellina

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Nebbiolo

The terraced vineyards of ARPEPE are tucked between the Orobic and Retic Alps just south of the Italian-Swiss border, in the Grumello subzone of Valtellina in Lombardy. This estate dates back to the 1860s, when the Pelizzatti Perego family's great-great-grandfather Giovanni founded a successful winery in the area, then known only as “Pelizzatti.” After an unfortunate turn of events in the 1970's when the current generation’s grandfather fell ill, and the family was forced to sell the Pelizzatti brand along with some of their vineyards, in 1984, the family re-founded their company under the ArPePe label, got back many of their proprietary vineyards from renters, and were able to reclaim their cellar in Grumello. Today, ArPePe is widely recognized as the single best producer in the appellation. The estate vineyards, all planted to Nebbiolo, are spread across 13 hectares in Sassella, Grumello and Inferno, in the heart of the Valtellina Superiore DOCG area. Production is completely by hand, as are all harvest practices. 

Maceration for 69 days in 50-hl wooden vats. Aged 39 months in cask and refined 3 years in bottle. This seamless medium-bodied red offers flavors of cured tobacco, dried raspberry, macerated cherry and iron. Fresh, with fine-grained tannins and a smoky finish.