Sforzato Della Valtellina

As you drive from Milan in a northeast direction, you will reach the picturesque Valtellina in the province of Sondrio. It is an evocative Alpine territory in the northern part of the Lombardy considered for many aspects to be heroic. It is large, lush and green and dominated by mountains that are tall. It is not only a popular tourist attraction in the winter months but is also home to the famous Sforzato Della Valtellina, one among the noblest of Italian red wines.

Valtellina is located in Northern Italy, an east-west valley north of Lake Como between the Retiche Alps and the Orobic Alpine foothills. Thanks to its unique position it has a remarkable climate that is essential for the production of Sforzato Della Valtellina.

Winemaking has ancient origins in Valtellina. It is believed that the vine was cultivated in pre-Roman periods by the Etruscans and the Ligurians, the earliest known inhabitants of this region. Years later the Romans developed vine culture on the sunny Retiche side. The rural landscape was converted by the construction of a network of terraces supported by dry stonewalls. Since then, the panorama of the vineyards remains the same. Today, as then, the vineyards are most often planted on terraces supported by dry stonewalls.

Due to the determination of the locals the wine-growing spaces have been wrested from the mountains one square meter at a time. It has made the fortunes of the local population. The better vineyards for Sfursat are found in altitudes of 400-450 on terraces exposed to the south and well ventilated.

 
Nebbiolo, the main grape used to make Sforzato Della Valtellina, was introduced in the 14th century but the development in trade in Nebbiolo wines started between the 16th and 18th century when Valtellina was under the rule of the Swiss.

Sforzato or Sfrusat is a dry wine obtained from drying the best Nebbiolo grapes harvested in the most well-exposed vineyard in the regions of Valtellina and Valtellina Superiore. The local name for Nebbiolo grape is Chiavennasca.

The vines are cultivated by hand as, except for a few small gently sloping spaces, it is practically impossible for the use of any kind of mechanization. The grapes are spread out in mats or in boxes and are left to wither naturally usually from harvest time, which is late October until mid-January or even early February. This treatment leads to a high concentration of natural sugars and special aromas. The dehydration of the grape varies between 30-35 percent and this produces a great wine, which is a combination of body, elegance, longevity and easy digestibility. The vinification process consists of soft pressing of the grapes and subsequent fermentation. A two- to three-year aging in oak casks and a final six- to 12-month bottle refinement give this red wine its uniqueness.

Sforzato Della Valtellina is a very special wine obtained uniquely from Nebbiolo grapes that are left to ripen for a longer period than is required for the production of regular wines. Its quality depends not so much on technical matters as on climatic conditions and the quality of the grapes. It is thus an embodiment of the uniqueness of this Alpine territory.

Sforzato Della Valtellina owes its name (sforzato which means withering or strained) to the very ancient practice of withering Nebbiolo grapes.

It is excellent as a sipping wine. It can also accompany red meat or game and is excellent with aged cheeses like Callegio and Gorgonzola and Bitto.