A fresh, fruity red with orange and lemon undertones. Lightly candied cherries, too. Light body. But there’s subtle complexity. Some crushed stone. Really bright. Drink now
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Driving North from Milan, one could easily be captivated enough to stop in one of the picturesque towns along Lago di Como and not venture any farther. Those who decide to continue on would come to understand, however, that the beauty of the region only increases and becomes more remarkable the closer one gets to the Swiss border where the Alps rise to staggering heights. Tiny mountain villages dot the landscape, a veritable land of fairy-tale settings. It’s easy to feel like you’ve passed into Switzerland without knowing it when, in fact, you’ve ended up in Valtellina, the northernmost part of Lombardy that forms part of the border between Italy and Switzerland.
Valtellina is Italy’s only valley to run east to west and was carved by the glaciers that moved down the granite mountain slopes during the last ice age to the valley floor where the Adda river now runs east into Lago di Como and eventually into the Po river. It is unarguably one of the most dramatic landscapes in Italy and home to some of the most extreme vineyards in the world. In 2018 UNESCO declared this region of tiny vineyards perched upon impossibly steep slopes and built into ancient terraces called muretti a World Heritage Site. Some of the terraces date back to the middle ages and, if placed end to end, would stretch a distance of 1,500 miles long.
It’s easy to fall in love with this land and the landscape and there have, no doubt, been many people who’ve visited and then spent their days and nights dreaming up ways to take over a small plot of land to make wine from the local Nebbiolo grape, called Chiavennasca, which produces alpine red wines with personality, elegance and finesse.
One such person is Cristina Scarpellini who turned the dream into reality when she agreed to rent an acre of vineyards from a viticolore client in Valtellina in 2008. At the time, Cristina was an international business lawyer and the one acre of vines was only a hobby endeavor. It didn’t take long for Cristina to understand the potential of this hobby and she transitioned out of law and moved to make it her full-time reality. Tenuta Scerscé was born out of this dream and today produces the traditional wines of the region: Rosso di Valtellina DOC, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva and Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG – all from Chiavennasca.
It’s taken some years, but Cristina has dedicated her time and her vision to building a new winery, which is located in the eastern side of the Valtellina zone in Tirano. In naming her winery, Cristina payed homage to the farming culture of the region, emphasizing the importance of the land. The sciarscél is a traditional two-pronged pitchfork used for small jobs on the ground around the shoot and roots of the vine.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Tirano, Valtellina VINEYARD: Tirano, Sassella, Inferno and Teglio (Valgella) VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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92
JANUARY 2021
Tenuta Scerscé "Nettare" Rosso di Valtellina DOC 2018
A fresh, fruity red with orange and lemon undertones. Lightly candied cherries, too. Light body. But there’s subtle complexity. Some crushed stone. Really bright. Drink now 92
FEBRUARY 2021
Tenuta Scerscé "Nettare" Rosso di Valtellina DOC 2018
The bouquet is elegant and streamlined, but this wine really comes alive in the mouth with fresh acidity and a zesty sense of energy derived from delicate berry aromas. A great value wine, the Tenuta Scersce 2018 Rosso di Valtellina Nebbiolo Nettare opens to a lean and compact appearance with wild berry, violet, crushed stone, licorice and some iron ore, while the finish is tart and crisp. It would be great with sliced pears and cheese. But as they say here in Lombardy: "Al contadino non far sapere quant'è buono la Gorgonzola con le pere." (Translation: Never let the farmer know how good it is to taste Gorgonzola with pears.) This was a wonderful release of 16,200 bottles. 92
DECEMBER 2022
Tenuta Scerscé "Cristina Scarpellini" Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG Riserva 2018
Showing a sketch on the front label of a lady with a big flower on her head, the Tenuta Scerscé 2018 Valtellina Superiore Valgella Riserva is another beautifully fine and polished wine from the mountainous north of Italy. It offers high-elevation aromas of wildflower, crushed slate, ash and polished metal. The wine ends with a very elegant finish that is lean and bright. 90
JANUARY 2024
Tenuta Scerscé "Cristina Scarpellini" Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG Riserva 2019
Dark wild berries, savory spices and roasted earth aromas define the nose of this brooding wine made from Nebbiolo. Ripe black cherries open the palate giving way to more floral, herbal and mineral notes on the long and deep finish. 90
JANUARY 2024
Tenuta Scerscé "Infinito" Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG 2018
This wine is serious from the first whiff with lifted aromas of warmed mixed fruits both red and blue, crushed stone and black tea leaf. The palate is mouthfilling with notes of strawberry preserves, bay leaf, dried roses and fine tannins. If you like wines from the Southern Rhône, you will love this! 91
FEBRUARY 2021
Tenuta Scerscé "Infinito" Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG 2017
DISCOVERING VALTELLINA PLUS 10 TOP PRODUCERS WORTH KNOWING Infinito comes from vineyards at breezy heights of 550 to 720 metres and is a selection of the best bunches from 40- to 60-year-old vines. Grapes are picked in the first week of October and dried until the beginning of December. It exudes ripeness with prune and fig on a background of chocolate and chai spice. Soft, plush fruit upfront gains nuance from an exotic mix of botanicals and is shored up by caressing tannins. Well proportioned and balanced. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026 92
DECEMBER 2022
Tenuta Scerscé "Flammante" Valtellina Superiore Inferno DOCG 2019
The Tenuta Scerscé 2019 Valtellina Superiore Inferno Nebbiolo Flammante is an elegantly slim and lithe expression, with a very fine filigree of aromas that rise delicately from the bouquet. There is redcurrant and wild plum, but perhaps the aromas that leave the longest impression are the floral tones of rose and lilac. With time, a lactic aroma of spicy Pecorino cheese also comes forward. 92
JULY 2022
Tenuta Scerscé "Essenza" Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2018
Savory and intense nose with dried plums, funk, oranges, dark licorice and black earth. Some balsamic notes, too. A fluid, medium-bodied palate, marked by dusty tannins and juicy, earthy and mushroomy flavors on the palate. Firm, textured and chalky. Lovely nebbiolo austerity here. Not one for meek palates, though. Drink or hold. |