Description of the wine: This DOCG includes, from west to east, five sub-denominations: Valtellina Superiore Maroggia, Valtellina Superiore Sassella, Valtellina Superiore Grumello, Valtellina Superiore Inferno, Valtellina Superiore Valgella. Organoleptic characteristics: Ruby red color tending to garnet, and persisting, fine, pleasant, very characteristic aroma. In the mouth is dry and slightly tannic, velvety and harmonious. Production area: Territory of the Rhaetian Alps that goes from Berbenno to Tirano. Production techniques: The wine must have a minimum aging of 24 months, hence at least 12 months in oak barrels. Vines that are allowed to produce it: Chiavennasca (minimum 90%), Pignola, Brugnola and Rossola (alone or together for a total of 10%). Sub-areas and sub-categories: Valtellina Superiore Maroggia The wine produced in this sub-area and made from grapes grown on a particularly sunny hillside, has ruby red color with garnet glares and a harmonious, dry and velvety flavour. The production area is particularly limited (just 25 hectares of land) and this wine is connected to the abbot Benigno de' Medici, called San Bello, who arrived in this territory in 1458, settled in the local abbey and was able to appreciate the local wine describing it as Firmum et dulce,, to say, with a good structure and, at the same time, sweet. Valtellina Superiore Sassella The 130 hectares of vineyards occupy a steep and well exposed to the sun area between the municipality of Castione and the territory west of the Mallero creek. The wine has ruby red color tending to garnet, has hints of red fruits and spices, which evolve in tertiary notes with aging and, in the mouth, it is dry, harmonious and slightly tannic. It is a wine that gives the best of itself with a few years of aging and is able to remain in the bottle for a long time. It is accompanied by red meats and game. Valtellina Superiore Grumello This sub-area covers 78 hectares of vineyards on the slopes of the Rhaetian Alps in the north-east of Sondrio and takes its name from the fortress of the thirteenth century overlooking the valley. The wines that are produced has a ruby red color tending to garnet, with intense and distinctive aroma (the percentage of Brugnola vine in their grape blend gives them a hint of almond), and their taste is dry, with a dense and gentle tannin and a remarkable persistence. In the case in which the grapes of the area called "Dossi Salati" are used for vinification, Grumello presents a strong minerality, with a very interesting savoury connotation. It is accompanied by red meats and game. Valtellina Superiore Inferno The evocative name of this sub-area refers to the terraced vineyards of which we have already spoken. The production area covers 55 hectars between the towns of Poggiridenti and Tresivio, in stony and rough hollows, where summer temperatures become very high due to the excellent exposure of the slopes. The wine produced in this area, without a doubt, is the most rigorous and austere in the DOCG, shows a ruby red color with garnet hints, a characteristic aroma of red fruits and herbs, and a dry, harmonious flavour, with a robust body and vibrant tannins. Is combined with main courses served with meat sauces, dishes of red meats, and cheese. Valtellina Superiore Valgella With its 150 hectares of vineyards in the area of the municipality of Teglio, it is the largest of the sub-denominations of Valtellina Superiore. Its name comes from the Latin word vallicula, namely "small valley" and, in the past, was the territory from which most of the wine directed to Switzerland left. Compared to other sub-areas, it has a greater delicacy at the nose, with floral scents besides fruits and spices scents, and in the mouth it is softer and persuasive.
