Valtellina Superiore Valgella 2018

Fracia is the largest vineyard in the entire sub-area of Valgella, in fact Fracia measures 6.5 hectares of the 10 total of the sub-area. It was the first vineyard owned by Nino Negri, so it also has a historical value. In this terraced and south-facing vineyard, Nino Negri has tried to replant the vines in a modern way, with a guyot training system and a density of 4000 vines per hectare, but the most important thing is the fact of having arranged the rows in horizontal in the terraces contrary to the Valtellinese tradition which always wants them perpendicular following the slope of the mountain side. The horizontal arrangement was possible thanks to the greater breadth of the vineyard and the length of the terraces. This favors agronomic operations even in the complicated conditions of mountain viticulture. The soil is sand of morainic origin, not very deep and the subsoil is made up of hard rock: granite and gneiss. From this vineyard therefore comes a wine which on the label shows both the Valgella sub-area and the name of the cru and is obtained with low yields and a long aging in the cellar.

The grapes are harvested by hand in late October, almost a late harvest, to have a higher sugar concentration. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in steel vats at a controlled temperature. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation after racking. Subsequently it ages in second passage French barriques for 20 months and ages for 6 more months in bottle.