Sforzato di Valtellina

Italy · DOP · Lombardia · -1 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

Sandy (70%) and silty (18%) soils over decomposed granitic bedrock, limestone-free, with very low water retention.
Vineyards on the Rhaetic slope facing south, between 300 and 700 m elevation, with gradients sometimes exceeding 70%.
Sheltered to the north by the Rhaetic Alps (peaks above 3,000 m, some exceeding 4,000 m) and to the south by the Orobian Alps, forming a natural amphitheater.
Over 2,500 km of dry-stone walls on the terraced hillsides: they accumulate heat and raise vineyard temperatures by 4–5 °C compared to the valley floor. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
Diurnal temperature range of up to 20 °C in late September/early October; sunshine exceeding 1,900 hours per year; average rainfall of 850 mm per year.

Human factors

Grapes dried in loft spaces until they lose up to 30% of their water through natural dehydration, with selection of bunches at 18–20% sugar.
Terraced hillsides with dry-stone walls estimated at over 2,500 km in total length; their origins date to antiquity, later revived in the medieval period by magistri comacini and Benedictine monks.

Terroir / wine link

Decomposed granitic bedrock (70% sand, 18% silt, no limestone) concentrates heat within the terraces, keeping the vineyard 4–5 °C warmer than the valley floor. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.