Valgella Valtellina Superiore Nebbiolo

2016 | Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo)
Motalli Renato; Valgella, Valtellina Superiore
Lombardy; Valtellina, Italy
(92-94; Drink 2026-36)

3H decant, 🤯

Super cherry nose that is so expressive. Loads of spice, tobacco and flowers. Watermelon and cranberry. So expressive. Unreal clarity and freshness. So so pure and juicy. A whisper of tannin and outrageous cherry fruit purity. This is brilliant. Let’s see where air takes this. As it aired out the nose became more expansive.

Beautiful light color but such clarity. Nose is mega spice and old chestnut. Very complex and ethereal. Faint leather scents. Real fineness to the aromas and breadth. But air will help them more. Palate is wonderful with mid season and sour cherries but also needs to open up and flesh out. Really fine and delicate tannins that build with that earthy sweet fruit on the finish. This also has remarkable finesse. Nose gets sawdust and cigar tobacco now. Really wonderful silky texture and intense minerality on the finish. There is no shortage of brightness and energy here. I’ll be back as I know this will blossom.

For such a light-colored 9-year old wine, this is still pretty youthful. Nose is beautiful. Moist earth, cracked mountain rocks, delicate, pure cherry, sweet spice, flowers. Lean but mouthfilling, with the fruit turning savory and minerally quickly after entry. Perfection with a delicate braised chicken dish.

What a nose. Stunning old school Nebbiolo. Maybe my favorite of all the Italian producers we carry. Rose, mineral, leather so feral and wild. Spice and mineral. Juicy, mineral man is this mineral and lovely elegant red fruits. Sappy and so fine. Excellent value. Needs 45 minutes to breathe.

Needs a few hours of air time to strut, but then shows wet river stone minerality, fragrant bitter cherry, and a floral note. Lean but flavorful in the mouth, with loads of barely ripe cherry, and lots of savory minerals. Tannins and acids are present but well integrated. Very nice.

Haunting nose. Sour cherries, feral, gamey, mineral, tarry, elegant, floral, spice. Really nuanced and straight. Terrific. Juicy and complex with terrific purity and Fassy acidity. Very mineral finish. Terrific fruit on the mid palate which expands over a few hours.

Very light colored, the nose on this wine features sandalwood, dried underbrush, and old cherry liqueur. The flavors are somewhat austere, but feature intense rocky minerality and barely-ripe cherry. Lots of soft tannin, and the finish lasts a surprisingly long time for such a lighter-styled wine. Really good with food, but a little severe without food.

Dazzling nose. Cool climate neb for the win. So delicate. Tar, dried roses, cherries, and earthy inner earth component. Spice. So nice. Texture is so ethereal and delicate. So juicy and complex with such purity. Nice cut and grip. Excellent freshness and length. Such an honest and authentic wine not lacking soul that’s for sure. Terrific fruit, power and concentration.

Such a delicate, unique wine. Nose has liquified mountain rocks and lilty spiced cherry. In the mouth it is the purest, smoothest essence of stone, wrapped in only a veil of fruit. Nano-grained tannins accompany a surprisingly saline finish. Superb