Country: Italy
Region: Lombardy (Valtellina DOCG)
Alcohol %: 15.0% (2009 vintage)
Grape Variety: 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca)
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Type: Red Wine
Food Pairing
- Roast beef
- Braised beef cheeks
- Venison and game meats
- Roast lamb
- Wild boar
- Osso buco
- Slow-cooked beef dishes
- Mature hard cheeses such as Bitto, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Deep garnet to ruby red with excellent concentration and remarkable clarity, showing the intensity expected from dried Nebbiolo grapes.
Aroma: Complex and expressive aromas of ripe black cherry, dried plum, raspberry jam and rose petals, layered with liquorice, cedar, leather, tobacco, dark chocolate, sweet spices, balsamic herbs and subtle vanilla from French oak maturation.
Palate: Full-bodied, rich and beautifully structured with flavours of dried black cherry, plum, blackberry and dark berries. Powerful yet elegant, it combines Nebbiolo's vibrant acidity and firm, refined tannins with the concentration created by the traditional appassimento (grape drying) process. Notes of spice, liquorice, leather and mineral freshness lead to an exceptionally long, savoury and persistent finish.
Description
Nino Negri "5 Stelle" Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG 2009 is one of Italy's most celebrated expressions of Sforzato (Sfursat), the prestigious wine of the Alpine Valtellina region in Lombardy. Produced only in outstanding vintages, it is made exclusively from carefully selected Nebbiolo (locally known as Chiavennasca) grapes that undergo approximately three months of natural drying before fermentation, concentrating flavours, structure and complexity.
Following fermentation, the wine is matured in new French oak barrels before further bottle ageing, resulting in exceptional depth, elegance and ageing potential. The 2009 vintage has been widely praised for its balance and refinement, offering layers of dried cherry, plum, rose, liquorice, cedar, leather, spice and balsamic notes supported by vibrant acidity and polished tannins. Wine Spectator awarded the vintage 93 points, describing it as an elegant and persistent wine with outstanding harmony.
Often regarded as one of the benchmark wines of Valtellina, 5 Stelle Sfursat showcases a unique Alpine interpretation of Nebbiolo that differs from Barolo and Barbaresco through its combination of appassimento richness, mountain freshness and remarkable finesse. While approachable after extended bottle ageing, the 2009 vintage continues to reward careful cellaring and remains an outstanding example of one of Italy's finest dry red wines.
