Sandro Fay
Valtellina Superiore Valgella Carteria Riserva 2021
| Denomination | DOCG Valtellina Superiore Valgella Riserva |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 13.5% by volume |
| Area | Lombardy (Italy) |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nebbiolo |
| Aging | 12 months in 30 hl barrels and small 500-litre oak casks |
- Name and grape variety: DOCG Valtellina Superiore Valgella Riserva, 100% Nebbiolo
- Mountain vineyard: located in San Giacomo di Teglio, 550 metres, south-facing
- Vinification and ageing: fermentation in steel, malolactic in oak, 12 months in barrel
- Aromas: notes of macerated red fruit, plum, cocoa, tobacco, spices and mineral hints
- Taste and pairings: soft yet firm tannins; ideal with red meats, pork and mature cheeses
Description
What kind of wine it is
Valtellina Superiore Valgella Carteria Riserva by Sandro Fay is a Lombard red wine of great depth. This expression from the Valtellina Superiore Valgella Riserva area highlights the characteristics of Nebbiolo, locally known as Chiavennasca. Its aromatic profile offers deep notes of macerated red fruit, plum jam, cocoa, tobacco and delicate mineral nuances. On the palate, it is balanced, characterised by soft yet vigorous tannins and a persistent final hint of rhubarb. After adequate decanting, it reveals all its complexity, creating a harmonious pairing with red meats, pork cuts and mature cheeses.
Where it comes from
The vineyard is located in the renowned Valgella subzone, situated in the municipality of San Giacomo di Teglio. The vines, grown at 550 metres above sea level with an optimal southern exposure, ensure excellent and consistent ripening of the grapes. The soil is distinguished by a predominantly sandy composition, enriched with silty fractions and an acidic pH. This particular geological and pedoclimatic profile gives the wine a tense flavour progression and a distinct mineral character, enhancing the finesse and mountain elegance of the grape variety.
How it is produced
Following sustainable principles, the grapes are harvested around mid-October. The vinification process begins with alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks. Subsequently, malolactic fermentation in oak barrels helps to stabilise the body and define its structure. A twelve-month maturation in oak barrels consolidates the overall aromatic balance. This meticulous process ensures the wine has an excellent estimated longevity, allowing it to evolve in the bottle for over ten years.
History and Curiosities
Born in Lombardy from the expertise of the Sandro Fay winery, the Valtellina Superiore Valgella Carteria Riserva enhances the innate smoothness of Nebbiolo grown at an altitude of 550 metres. The excellent 2021 vintage, awarded 95 points by James Suckling, matures for twelve months in fine oak barrels. This meticulous artisanal process produces a wine with soft yet vigorous tannins, ideal for elegantly accompanying flavourful meats and mature cheeses.
Awards
-
2021
95/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
Tasting notes
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
16 - 18 °C
Longevity:
10 - 15 years
Decanting time:
1 hour
- Start up year: 1971
- Oenologist: Marco Fay
- Bottles produced: 75.000
- Hectares: 17
In fact, The Fay farm concentrates most of the vineyards in the municipality of Teglio, where the land is predominantly sandy with an 18% of silt but totally free of clay and limestone (that would otherwise give grapes that are too concentrated), while the philosophy of the winery seeks to reward above all the finesse and the souplesse of a vine that here in Valtellina acquires a unique personality that is inimitable elsewhere.
However, the best example of Valtellina is obtained by Fay in another of the five sub-zones, Sassella, represented by Il Glicine, the winery's flagship wine, which has always been awarded the highest recognition by this Guide, confirming itself as a product of extreme class, worthy of being kept in the cellar for a long time to observe its evolution over time.
The entire production is synonymous with excellent quality and each label expresses a different interpretation of the territory and the vine, offering an interpretation of Nebbiolo that is always original and enjoyable. Read more
| Name | Sandro Fay Valtellina Superiore Valgella Carteria Nebbiolo Riserva 2021 |
|---|---|
| Type | Red green still |
| Denomination | Valtellina Superiore DOCG |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 13.5% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nebbiolo |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Vendor | Sandro Fay |
| Story | History and Curiosities Born in Lombardy from the expertise of the Sandro Fay winery, the Valtellina Superiore Valgella Carteria Riserva enhances the innate smoothness of Nebbiolo grown at an altitude of 550 metres. The excellent 2021 vintage, awarded 95 points by James Suckling, matures for twelve months in fine oak barrels. This meticulous artisanal process produces a wine with soft yet vigorous tannins, ideal for elegantly accompanying flavourful meats and mature cheeses. |
| Origin | San Giacomo di Teglio (SO) |
| Soil composition | Sandy (70%), silty (20%), acidic pH |
| Cultivation system | Guyot |
| Yield per hectare | 40 hl/ha |
| Harvest | Mid-October |
| Production technique | Alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks; malolactic fermentation in 30 hl casks and small 500-litre oak barrels |
| Wine making | Alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks; malolactic fermentation in 30 hl casks and small 500 l oak barrels |
| Aging | 12 months in 30 hl barrels and small 500-litre oak casks |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |