Valle d’Aosta
WINES FROM THE MOUNTAINS
Located at the northwest of Italy, this region is famous for its mountains, castles, production of cheese and obviously wine. Like happen in Alto Adige, even here since 1985 there is just one regional DOC which includes all the native and international grapes varieties as Gamay, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Petite Arvine, Priè Blanc, Cornalin, Fumin, Nebbiolo and many others.
The most peculiar Valle d’Aosta feature is the surface area under vines destined for the production of wine grapes: about 450 hectares. It is the smallest Italian viticultural region capable to offer such a graceful and velvety wines. Moreover, consider this little surface, there is an high concentration of good wines. Culturally speaking from the local dialect to all monuments furnishing the landscape, show the French influence. Starting from the Roman gates of Aosta - the capital of the region located at the bottom of the main streets.
It deserve a trip in Valle d’Aosta because it’s always wondrous jump into those hills which host some ancient vineyards - more of them are developed on terraces with steep slopes at the highest elevations of any in Europe - where family of farmers but even many new young entrepreneurs and cooperatives are cultivating, in the same plot, many grape varieties. This is an oldest custom, it symbolism a sort of unwritten recipes which represent exactly the richness of the region. The wines we get from this plots offer a taste with different aromas and layers. It’s like a voyager of emotions: deep, floral, salty and spicy, but also balanced and full of body. A good model to look at is the Prisonnier wine: one of the most iconic and historical cuvée of the entire region. It’s very rare because of the its low production, it’s born in a special vineyards which benefit from the rocks around it with a double daily temperature range.
Anyway after the consequences of phylloxera crises, since the 1850s the Region decided to sort out by storing up the unbelievable heritage of the region. How? By setting up and manage a school called Institut Agricole Régional in order to activate some free study courses to provide the necessary skills to young people destined to become farmers.
Lastly, looking at the mountains painted by spots of vineyards we can see this historical link riding among the villages spread in seven subarea which define the different terroirs and their vocation to viticulture. A very distinctive one is the area at the feet of Mont Blanc where some producers still manage ancient vine, pre-phylloxera, from 900 to 1200 meters high. The result here is the production of the highest Europe white wine produced with Prié Blanc grapes, named as Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle. This wine can be floral, velvety, round. More important, it is always marked by a strong acidity, an essential feature for those who produce the sparkling version.
Our best shopping wine list: Chardonnay Mains et Coeur - Maison Anselmet, Fumin Vigne Rovettaz Grosjean, Petite Arvine - Ottin.