Valtellina Superiore Sassella 'Il Glicine' Fay 2022

The Valtellina Superiore Sassella “Il Glicine” from the Fay winery is a red wine elegant and of great structure produced in an area where viticulture is defined as heroic, given the harsh conditions in which it is practiced. Valtellina, a mountainous region that branches out around the town of Sondrio, is a territory characterized by small plots of vineyards planted at extreme altitudes on terraces built by man, where viticulture is filled with charm. “Il Glicine” is made from pure Nebbiolo grapes, locally also known as Chiavennasca, coming from one hectare of vineyard, planted with the traditional guyot training system, at an altitude of 470 meters, in the Sassella subzone. The vineyards, located east of the town of Sondrio, are on soils derived from weathered granite formations, characterized by predominantly sandy soils, with a small percentage of silt, and are south-facing. The winery, which covers a total area of 15 hectares, was founded in 1973 by Sandro Fay and is now run

by the founder and his children Marco and Elena Fay.

The “Glicine” Sassella Superiore is a Valtellina red of great elegance produced with grapes harvested exclusively by hand, generally towards the second half of October, and then brought to the winery in crates to be destemmed and subjected to the fermentation process, which takes place in temperature-controlled steel tanks. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to small oak barrels with a capacity of 500 liters where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and remains to mature for about 12 months.

The Sassella Valtellina Superiore “Il Glicine” presents itself with a garnet red color and good transparency. On the nose, it is characterized by intense and complex aromas of ripe red fruit, including cherry and raspberry, floral notes of violet, spicy notes, and balsamic herbs, leading to tertiary hints of leather and tobacco. On the palate, it is structured, persistent, and of great balance. The tannins, well present but not aggressive, balance best

with the acidic note that brings freshness to the sip. It is an expression of unique typicity and great character that should never be missing from the cellar of a wine enthusiast or anyone wanting to approach and discover the beauty of the wines from this area.