Les Cretes - La Sabla, Rosso, Val d'Aosta, Italy (NV)

TASTING NOTES

Big and hearty, with bold aromas of cassis, black cherry, ripe strawberry and licorice. On the palate, this is a big, expressive wine. Tannins and acids both provide the backbone to the ample black and red berry, spice box and black currant flavours. A long, juicy finish makes this a wonderful partner to a backyard barbecue.

A blend of fruit sourced from the La Sabla, Bufferia and Sazzé vineyards in Aymavilles. These vines are between 20 and 70 years old.They are cultivated on steep slopes comprised of morainic, loose, sandy soils which are exposed to the north-east, south-east and south-west. They are at 500-750 meters above sea level.

Fermentation in steel tanks under a controlled temperature of 28°C. 10 to 12 day maceration with daily pump over. A further 8 months aging in steel tanks.

In the mid 1700s, Bernardin Charrère moved from the Haute Savoie in Southeast France to the Aosta Valley and established Les Crêtes, where the family's descendants continue to craft wines from those vineyards to this day.

Les Crêtes is the largest privately-owned winery in the region, but would be considered “boutique” in most other regions around the world. It has been at the forefront of searching out rare, indigenous vinifera varieties and helping protect them from extinction. Grapes like Prie Rouge, Mayolet, Cornalin, Premetta and Fumin exist nowhere else in the world and Les Crêtes, along with the rest of the tiny vignerons in the region, has worked with the Italian government to preserve them.

This is one of the most challenging regions on earth to work for wine, with non-contiguous vineyards frequently planted on ledges on the side of steep Alpine mountains where they can find a little sandy soil. Hot summer days and extremely cool nights, coupled with a dry growing season allow for some of the longest hang times on earth.