nino negri sfursat della valtellina 2017

Sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the appellation including Inferno, Grumello and Fracia sitting on the steep slopes of the Retiche Alps along the bank of the Adda river. Vineyards have a due-south exposure and sit in loose, gravelly soil at 900-1200 feet in elevation.

Vinification: The grapes undergo scrupulous sorting both in the vineyard prior to harvest and upon arrival at the winery after which they are placed in small crates to slowly dry through the autumn and early winter for a period of 100 days. The dried grapes are then crushed and macerated for 12 days followed by a short resting period in stainless steel. The wines are aged in French oak casks for 20-24 months before bottling.

Critical Acclaim:
93 Points - The Wine Advocate
"A pure expression of Chiavennasca (another name for the Nebbiolo grape), the Nino Negri 2016 Sforzato di Valtellina Sfursat Carlo Negri is made from fruit that has been left to dry for three months and then sees extended skin contact during fermentation. As a last step, the wine ages in French oak for two years. This long and careful process adds to the profound aromatic intensity offered here. The classic 2016 vintage plays its part in giving the wine a refined and focused personality. But the appassimento process is surely responsible for the wine's distinct aromas of candied fruit, dried cherry, distilled violet and creme de cassis. You feel the wine's 16% alcoholic content (another result of air-dried fruit) and its firm tannin bite that comes naturally to this grape variety. Production is 25,000 bottles."

93 Points - Vinous
"The 2016 Sfursat Carlo Negri is a very pretty, open-knit wine with lovely depth and persistence. Macerated cherry, sweet tobacco, cedar, incense and sweet spice all get a kick of energy from the bright acids that give the wine its balance and sense of energy. This is such a pretty and lively Sfursat."

92 Points - Wine Spectator
"A bright, mouthwatering red, this is medium- to full-bodied and tightly knit, marrying sculpted tannins to flavors of wild cherry coulis and raspberry fruit, with notes of dried herb and rose hip. A skein of smoky mineral and peppery spice slowly unspools on the grippy finish. Best from 2021 through 2027. 8,000 cases made, 500 cases imported."

750ml bottle