Sforzato di Valtellina D.O.C.G. 2017 (3 l)

Awards:Gold Medal Concours Mondial de Bruxelles; Mondial des Vins Extremes Gold Medal / Cervim Valle d'Aosta; Wine Hunter Gold Award Merano Wine Festival; Gold Medal International Wine Challenge London; Gold Award Wine Expo Poland; Wine Enthusiast Magazine (review); Wine Spectator (review); Silver Medal Sommelier Wine Awards London. Acknowledgments and evaluations from the main sector guides: AIS “Vitae”; Viniplus AIS Lombardy; Gold Guide Veronelli's Wines; Vinibuoni d'Italia Guide; Paolo Massobrio's Golosario; Essential Guide to Italian Wines by Daniele Cernilli.

History: Sforzato di Valtellina Docg, in dialect Sfursàt, owes its name to an ancient practice of drying grapes, known as "forcing", in use since the 16th century, when Leonardo Da Vinci, having passed through Valtellina, defined this wine as "potente assai", or "burning". This wine obtained the DOCG designation (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) in 2003 and, for many years, was defined as a "meditation" wine.

Special features: It is produced exclusively with grapes of the Nebbiolo "Chiavennasca" variety, trained on the modified Valtellinese archetto system. These grapes are vinified after drying for about 3 months in a "fruit cellar" (dry and well-ventilated room) after being harvested by Cantina Nera exclusively by hand, within the production areas of Valtellina Docg and Doc wines; the healthiest and ripest bunches are selected, in order to obtain a wine of the highest quality.

Why buy it: because it is produced only in the best years, it is one of the most fine wines from Lombardy; balanced, harmonious and persistent. These characteristics give it great drinkability and elegance. Excellent in combination with red meats, roasts, braised meats and aged cheeses.