Sforzato of Valtellina DOCG Brand Mamete Prevostini

Sforzato or Sfursat of Valtellina is the first Italian dry red “passito” that has   the DOCG denomination (Garanted and Controlled Designation of Origin) obtained in 2003 after a laborious process that has involved the producers.

The best location of the vineyard is at 400/450 meters of altitude, the technical production of this wine is ancient, with some tracks dated back to 1500.
The 100% Nebbiolo grapes undergoes a "forzatura" (“forcing”, hence the name), that is a withering of bunches more healthy and mature selected before the harvest, manually lying on mats or baskets taking care not to scratch the skin of berries, put in well ventilation and dry rooms (called fruttai) with large temperature ranges, where suffer a concentration of sugar only natural, in fact halving the yield of grapes into wine fresh. In this period of about 3 months occurs the phenomenon of the “appassimento”: grapes lose around 40% of its weight, decreasing the water content and increasing the levels of sugar, producing new substances also characterize onwards aromatic wine.
The grapes, as law says, can be crushed after 10 Dec. of the year of harvest, but generally it occurs in January, February, followed by a slow fermentation due to the strength of indigenous yeasts, and at least 25 months of maturation and aging first in wood and bottled later.

A box of 2 Kg. fresh grapes are converted into 1.2 Kg. of dried grapes, where you get a bottle of wine.
The colour wine is dark red garnet with hints of ripe fruit and spices.

The taste is characterized by great softness and character, marked by notes of jam.