Italy — wine

Valtellina

One of Italy's most dramatic and underrated wine regions, where Nebbiolo (locally called Chiavennasca) clings to near-vertical granite terraces above the Adda River in the Alps of Lombardy. Valtellina Superiore DOCG includes four subzones — Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, and Valgella — each producing a distinct character from the ancient hand-tended terraces. Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG (from semi-dried Nebbiolo) is Italy's most powerful Nebbiolo expression.

Year Rating Notes
2023 Outstanding Alpine growing season; Chiavennasca of exceptional concentration and granite-mineral character
2022 Good vintage; elegant, fragrant Valtellina Superiore with fine tannins and aging potential
2021 Cool Alpine year; wines of unusual freshness; Sforzato showed more restraint than usual
2020 Benchmark vintage; finest Valtellina Superiore and Sforzato in a generation
2019 Classic vintage; reliable quality across all four Superiore subzones
2018 very_good