Centuries before the Roman Empire conquered most of what was then the known world, the Etruscan civilization flourished. They were more than a people group – they were a civilization in their own right, with powerful trading routes throughout the Mediterranean that brought them goods and wealth.
The Etruscan world was a loosely knit series of city-states, bound by culture, religion, and language. They took full advantage of their natural resources by farming, mining, and building. Some would say that the Romans eventually obliterated their culture, but it may be more accurate to say that they assimilated it… and that the Etruscans themselves would go on to become part of the cultural fabric that lent itself to Rome’s strength and greatness.
One of the many agricultural products of the Etruscans was wine. To this day, the terraced hillsides they carved can be seen in Tirano, Italy, in what is now known as the Valtellina region. The hillsides are laced with 2,500 km of walls, or muretti as they are known locally, that still stand from those ancient times. The effect is stunning, making this area one of the most beautiful wine valleys in the world.
It is here in Tirano, tucked neatly adjacent to the Swiss border, that the Wine Revealed team met with Andrea Zololari of the Plozza Wine Group. This area was long a part of the Italian-speaking segment of Switzerland, and the culture and languages have always been fundamentally Italian. Andrea inherited this vineyard from his father, whom he considers his greatest influence.
Zonolari explained to us the advantages conferred by the terraces that the Etruscans left behind, saying that they allow for the full advantages of the sunlight to be utilized, making the most of the growing season. With 300 days of sun per year, this is still considered a Mediterranean climate, despite the winter snow cover.
The star grape of the region is the Nebbiolo. Zonolari remarks that “We feel very lucky to have Nebbiolo here. It was originally brought by some monks, say, 600 years ago, and we’re still able to cultivate that.”
Valtellina is second only to the Piemonte region in the production of wines from Nebbiolo, Zonolari explains. The wines taste different in Valtellina due to the differences in climate and soil. While the soil is a little richer in Piedmont and the wine a little more fruit-forward, “…here you have a little bit harsher weather, allowing the grape to still come out with its character.”
Some describe Nebbiolo as a terroir-expressing grape, meaning that the qualities that show forth in the wines reflect the lands in which the grapes were cultivated. Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly describes Nebbiolo wines as, “translucent (like Pinot!) and have a delicate smell, but when you taste them you are greeted with robust tannin and high acidity.”
Nebbiolo’s Piemonte cousins are Barolo and Barbaresco, but in Valtellina it becomes something altogether different. One of its most notable incarnations is the Sforzato di Valtellina, also called simply Sforzato.
Joseph V. Micallef of Forbes writes of this wine, “This was the first raisinated dry wine to obtain a DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), Italy’s highest ranking for wines of superior quality. Granted in 2003, it preceded Italy’s most famous raisinated dry wine, Amarone, by 7 years.”
In 1946, Plozzo brought its first appassimento wine to market, a wine in which the grapes are raisinated prior to fermentation. This process uses a selection of the most mature grapes, which are then placed on wood crates to allow for natural evaporation, “allowing the wines to be a little bit rounder, a little bit more persistent, and a little bit more powerful,” explains Zonolari.
Andrea took our crew to his underground cellar – lined with large casks and fragrant with fruity and oaky smells. He shared some of his 2016 Sforsato for all to taste and enjoy.
He comments, “In this glass we are tasting already a wine that has spent three years in the big cask. And we are starting to see the result of what a neutral wood can do to Nebbiolo by allowing the fruit to be very persistent and very bright. There’s a lot of black cherry and very fragrant flavors with a tannicity that is very round. It’s already smooth and the process will continue for the next two years before it will reach the bottle.”
They release the Sforzato later than other producers do so that it is ready to drink when purchased. It would also be very good to store for a few more years. Andrea recommends that the wine be paired with local mountain cheeses, red meat, and wild game. Because of its aromas and flavors, it can be enjoyed by itself as well.
“Definitely the best way to enjoy it is with friends and with grace,” he adds.
On the practical side, he adds that “The best way to enjoy this wine would be to open it, decant it, and wait for a couple of hours to allow the wine to touch a little bit of oxygen and settle from the bottle shock.”
Valtellina is one of the lesser-known wine regions of Italy, and even within Italy, and perhaps it is time for this to change. In fact, 80% of the wines produced here are consumed within a 100-mile radius. Valtellina and its lovely Sforzatos are still a hidden gem of sorts, but the wider world is catching on at last. As Zonolari would say, “enjoy it with friends and grace!”