Aldo Rainoldi Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio Nebbiolo 2014
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The Rainoldi family has been in the wine business for three generations. Aldo Rainoldi, the original patriarch of the family business, started as a local wine merchant based in Valtellina in the 1920s. In the late 1990s Aldo's grandson (also named Aldo) returned to the family business after graduating from Turin University with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology. It was at this point that the family business pivoted to producing their own wines that showcased their beloved homeland of Valtellina.
Located in Lombardy in the northern Italian Alps, Valtellina is a network of steeply terraced vineyards that stretches 25 miles from east to west. The vineyards are all south-facing and receive an optimal amount of sunlight making them an ideal place for grape-growing. The vineyards are planted almost exclusively to Nebbiolo. The Aldo Rainoldi winery is located in Casacce near Chiuro in the heart of Valtellina. Valtellina Nebbiolo—known locally as Chiavennasca—produces wines that are aromatic and elegant with significant aging potential.
Making top-quality wine that respects family tradition and the environment is paramount for the Rainoldi family. With an eye on the future, and close connection to the past, Rainoldi produces wines that pay homage to their ancestors’ wisdom while they continue to innovate and improve, to diversify and to offer a selection of high-quality wines.?
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
Containing an exciting mix of wine producing subregions, Lombardy is Italy’s largest in size and population. Good quality Pinot noir, Bonarda and Barbera have elevated the reputation of the plains of Oltrepò Pavese. To its northeast in the Alps, Valtellina is the source of Italy’s best Nebbiolo wines outside of Piedmont. Often missed in the shadow of Prosecco, Franciacorta produces collectively Italy’s best Champagne style wines, and for the fun and less serious bubbly, find Lambrusco Mantovano around the city of Mantua. Lugana, a dry white with a devoted following, is produced to the southwest of Lake Garda.