Rainoldi Sfursat di Valtellina 2018

Sfursat di Valtellina, or Sforzato, is a style of wine akin to Amarone but pre-dating it significantly. Flawless fruit with perfectly intact skins are harvest in October then laid out on racks to dry in ventilated mountain huts called 'fruttai'. The grapes are vinified into a dry wine once they have lost 30% of their weight, leading to extra richness and layers of deeper, dried fruit aromas and flavours. Complex, herbal and rich-but-not-heavy. Serve with game, red meats or cheese.

“The 2018 Sfursat di Valtellina is a wild, exotic beauty. Dark cherries in liqueur, cloves, spice, alpine herbs, sweet pipe tobacco and incense lend an exotic flair. Deep, sensual and inviting, the 2018 packs plenty of Sfursat intensity in a classic frame. Even with its notable intensity, the 2018 remains quite elegant and impeccable in its balance. I loved it.” Antonio Gallioni, Vinous