Negri Sassella LE TENSE Valtellina Superiore DOCG

The grapes: 100% nebbiolo-chiavvennasca.

The vineyard: vineyard is some of the best crus of the sub-zone Sassella: Minè, Longoni and Chiesa Sassella. The vines, trained by the arched variant of the Guyot system (3500 plants/hectare) on stony, thin soil, shallow and liable to drought, at an altitude of 400-450 metres, yielded 60 quintals of grapes per hectare.

The vinification and the maturation: the bunches, picked by hand between 8 and 10 October, were vinified by the red wine method with temperature-controlled fermentation. The maceration lasted 4 days; in December, after a stay in stainless steel, 80% of the wine was transferred into small once and twice used oak barrels while 20% went into 80hl Slavonian oak vats. Blended in November, it will be bottled in January.

The wine: Sassella Le Tense – 90.000 bottles produced – has a dark, bright ruby colour; a full, complex bouquet with an enticing fragrance of raspberry conserve and suggestions of wild roses and ripe black cherries and a full, soft but well structured flavour, of considerable elegance and balance with a pleasing and lingering aftertaste of prunes and spices.

Optimum keeping: 5-7 years in bottles stored horizontally in cool, dark conditions.

Unusual fact: the name “Le Tense” derives from the fact that, during the domination of the Swiss Three Grey Legions (1512-1797), the best vineyard were “tense”, that is protected by the guardians of the vines, the “arbostrari”.

Serving temperature: 18° C.

FOOD MATCHES: roast red meats, lamb, kid, game, mature cheeses.