;)
;)
;)
1959 Casa Vinicola Nino Negri Grumello Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Valtellina Superiore Grumello wines are those made under the Grumello subregion of the Valtellina Superiore DOCG. As with the broader appellation the wines must feature at least a 90-percent component of Chiavennasca, the local name for Nebbiolo.
Grumello is one of five viticultural subzones specifically identified as producing Valtellina wines of particularly high quality; the other four are Inferno, Sassella, Maroggia and Valgella.
Grumello is not a village but an area immediately east of Sondrio, and covers the slopes immediately above the town. The terraced vineyards rise up as high as 670 meters (2200ft), a full 365m (1200ft) above the Adda river and the valley floor. Just across Sondrio to the west is Sassella, the finest of the Valtellina subzones.
Nino Negri is the leading wine estate (in terms of size and profile) in the Valtellina region of Lombardy in Northern Italy, producing wines mainly from Chiavennasca, the local name for Nebbiolo. It is particularly known for its Sfursat or Sforzato ("strained" or "forced") a style of dry red wine made from air dried grapes.
Founded in 1897, the company owns 31 hectares (76.6 acres) of vineyards in the Valtellina Superiore DOCG zones of Sassella, Grumello, Inferno and Valgella.
As is common in the region, many of the vineyards are on rocky, steeply terraced slopes which rule out any mechanization. Topsoils are sandy and can be very shallow, so vine roots are often forced into cracks in the rocks beneath.
The winery is located in the city of Chiuro in the 15th-Century Castello Quadrio. Underneath the building are extensive cellars housing thousands of barrels.
Wines are mainly aged in French oak barriques though American oak barrels also feature. All Nino Negri wines are aged for at least two years before release.
Winemaker Casimiro Maule has worked his entire career at the estate, commencing in 1971. In 2007, he was named Winemaker of the Year by Gambero Rosso magazine.