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Red Wine

Chiavennasca

Chiavennasca is a synonym for Nebbiolo. The name used in Valtellina for the variety.

Nebbiolo from Valtellina tends to be more feminine, tannin management more critical during the winemaking process. Well managed vineyards produce wines with a great core of vibrant fruit and fine texture.

Nebbiolo, pronounced NEH-bee-oh-low, is such a unique variety. The name is derived from the Italian word Nebbia meaning fog.

Two theories for the name exist. The first that it refers to the fog that the vineyards of the Langhe are often immersed in. Second that the natural bloom that covers the grapes gives them a foggy appearance. Given the latter applies to most red grapes I prefer the former! There are 4 main clones of which Nebbiolo Lampia dominates over  Nebbiolo Michet, Rosé (now proven to be a different variety), and, Bolla.

Where is it grown?

Southern central and north Piemonte: Langhe including Verduno, Roero, Ast, Carema, Biella, Novara and Vercelli. In Alto Piedmonte’s Gattinara, it is known as Spanna, we have seen Giacomo Conterno buy Nervi to produce wines in this region. It is also grown in the lower parts of the Valle d’Aosta where it is known as Picotendroi, and, Valtellina in Lombardy where it is called Chiavennasca among others.

What does it taste like?

The ultimate case of not judging a book by its cover, Nebbiolo, at first appears pale in colour, old wines can have the appearance of rusty tap water.

Then you smell it! The aroma of most red wines is dominated by fruit characters. In contrast, Nebbiolo’s aroma is typically a mix of complex secondary aromas, earthy, tarry, spice, rose, citrus peel, woody herbs like rosemary, liquorice, phenol, dark chocolate, tobacco, truffles, leather, and, dark cherry fruit, often more evident on the palate. You’ll see this difference immediately by comparing it two the other two main Piedmontese varieties Barbera and Dolcetto.

Good Nebbiolo has a core of fruit running the length of your tongue, along with layers of those same secondary characters. Nebbiolo’s grape tannins give it a distinct texture, that for those who have not tried it before can seem hard, and, unyielding. Look for the quality and depth of tannin.

Achieving well balance tannin, alcohol, and, acidity makes for great Nebbiolo.

More than most other Italian wines, Nebbiolo, demands food to be at it’s best. A little fat and salt, enhance the texture and bring out the flavours.


ArPePe's Latest Release!


The 2013 Superiore Riserva’s


The 2016 Pettirosso

🇮🇹Bravo Isabella!👏🏻
The Robin has landed! Ar.Pe.Pe's blended Superiore 50% bold Grumello + 50% fine, delicate, mineral Sassella! The Pettirosso is a 50:50 blend of Grumello and Sassella fruit. Boldness coming from Grumello and delicacy with fine, mineral traits from Sassella. Try the Superiores from each of the sub-regions and you'll see these characters. The blend works beautifully. The wine has impressive depth and length. What really strikes me is the harmony. The wines are so together. Excellent acid is balance
$158
$151ea in any 3+
$144ea in any 6+

Museum Wines




Two Cracking Valtellinas from Sandro Fay!


2016 Shines in Valtellina!

Pinot-esque!!
Grace under pressure. The purity, line & length, and, expression of this wine is exceptional. Where the 2016 Costa Bassa drinks so beautifully out of the gate. 2016 Carteria steps up the depth, length and layering, this will be superb. Brooding and a little darker than the Costa Bassa, it's not just depth of flavour, but depth of tannin that shine. A little patience will yiled a treasure! The textures, harmony and pleasure Sandro Fay are dishing up is exceptional. This will undoubtedly hit the
$119
$114ea in any 3+
$109ea in any 6+

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Rainoldi's Superiore & Riserva!


Valtellina has Done it Again!
An absolute pleasure to add Rainoldi’s wines to the Chiavenesca’s of Ar.Pe.Pe, Pietrisco, and, Sandrofay!
The 4th Generation Vigneron has some serious street cred!

The Superiore

The Riserva’s

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Showing 19 Delicious Wines!

Yet another successful 'Costa Bassa' from Fay! Thoughts read pretty much the same as for the delicious 2019. Loads of pleasure here, the harmony, and, the inviting, drink me, nature of the wine is just the beginning. It really has everything in all the right places. Excellent. Got that whole alpine thing going on. Excellent weight and shape to it. Playful dusty chalky slightly chewy tannins with fine boned acid. Sour cherry with licorice a hint of smoke, resinous. A thirst quencher with epic
$64
$61ea in any 3+
$58ea in any 6+
Loads of fun to be had here. The acid balance with the fruit weight is about right. Energy here with vibrant red fruit, sour cherries, a little of that alpine spice. Heston Blumenthal once did mince tarts that were topped with sugar mixed with ground pine needles and it worked. There’s a little of that sitting here in the background. The tannins aren’t quite as polished as those in the wines of Fay or Ar.Pe.Pe. Slightly drying on the mid palate. A little salami or a plate of something roaste
$67
$64ea in any 3+
$61ea in any 6+
🇮🇹Bravo Isabella!👏🏻

Ar.Pe.Pe Valtellina Superiore Pettirosso 2017

Nebbiolo | Valtellina, Grumello

The Robin has landed! Ar.Pe.Pe's blended Superiore 50% bold Grumello + 50% fine, delicate, mineral Sassella! The Pettirosso is a 50:50 blend of Grumello and Sassella fruit. Boldness coming from Grumello and delicacy with fine, mineral traits from Sassella. Try the Superiores from each of the sub-regions and you'll see these characters. The blend works beautifully. Such fun and fine wines. The 2017 Pettirosso comes through with delicate red fruits, sophisticated tannins, thirst quenching acid
$75
$72ea in any 3+
$69ea in any 6+
The wines of Valtellina have such incredible appeal with their elegance and perfume. Cracking Neb! Fresh and vibrant with loads of energy. There's a real purity to it with lovely sour cherries. It has excellent grape tannins to caress your tongue. The tannins offer front mid-palate attack in a very good way. Lovely perfume and lift to this. It's at least of comparable quality to the Ar.Pe.Pe Valtellina Superiore's and for mine sits between their Inferno 'Fiame Antiche' and Sassella 'Stella Retic
$88
$84ea in any 3+
$80ea in any 6+

Ar.Pe.Pe Valtellina Superiore Pettirosso 2019

Nebbiolo | Valtellina, Grumello

The Robin has landed! The Pettirosso is a 50:50 blend of Grumello and Sassella fruit. Boldness coming from Grumello and delicacy with fine, mineral traits from Sassella. Try the Superiores from each of the sub-regions and you’ll see these characters. The blend works beautifully. The 2019 had an epic 109 day extended maceration! An excellent stepwise build in complexity depth and length. The development from a couple of extra years shows. A slight build in structure still offers a very fine m
$93
$89ea in any 3+
$85ea in any 6+
Neb from the North!
Crystal clear with a more savoury flavour profile. As it opens in the glass it comes together beautifully! This too is very good. Crystal clear with a more savoury flavour profile. Took a bit longer for this to open up.  As it did it came together beautifully, the tannins have a little more presence here. The flowers are at play around the edges. The rounder mid-palate differentiates Sassella from Inferno. It’s a little about celebrating the differences once again. As always ArPePe offer up e
$94
$90ea in any 3+
$86ea in any 6+
Grumello is to the east of Sondrio on the opposite side to Sassella making for a fascinating comparison in site! Of the three Superiores this looks the darkest, the tannins sit more aggressively, yet, not overly so. With a plate of food you'd not notice. A little shorter than the other Superiores. The acid appears higher. Another complex offering from Ar.Pe.Pe. A little disjointed at the moment. It is the wine I am least certain of in term of it's evolution as it ages.
$94
$90ea in any 3+
$86ea in any 6+
Grumello is to the east of Sondrio on the opposite side to Sassella making for a fascinating comparison in site! Grumello is to the east of Sondrio on the opposite side to Sassella making for a fascinating comparison in site! This is where the largest strides have been made. We’ve seen both of the Grumello Riservas priced at the same point now. Whatever is happening in the vineyard or winery to make that happen is translating into this Superiore (ArPePe makes either Superiores or Riservas in
$108
$103ea in any 3+
$98ea in any 6+
Crystal clear with a more savoury flavour profile. As it opens in the glass it comes together beautifully! As is always the case a little bolder richer and more immediate generosity here in the context of Valtellina than the Sassella. A great contrast to the Sassella with a rounder mid-palate. A little more grip offers an energy to that mid-palate fruit that continues to drive through. Just a little lift adds intrigue and that alpine earthiness plays around the edge. Another excellent Fiamme
$108
$103ea in any 3+
$98ea in any 6+
🇮🇹Bravo Isabella!👏🏻
As with the 2015 & 2017 I found myself not really wanting to write tasting notes simply wanting to devour the glass! Sassella typically produces the most elegant wines of the three communes with Inferno next and Grumello the boldest. Another superb Sassella. Smoking wine. Everything is here and in all the right places. Elegance and sophistication caressing long fine tannins. Seamless harmony. Energy and vitality in a very complete wine. Line and length with a long vertical palate. A be
$108
$103ea in any 3+
$98ea in any 6+
Pinot-esque!!
Grace under pressure. The purity, line & length, and, expression of this wine is exceptional. Where the 2016 Costa Bassa drinks so beautifully out of the gate. 2016 Carteria steps up the depth, length and layering, this will be superb. Brooding and a little darker than the Costa Bassa, it's not just depth of flavour, but depth of tannin that shine. A little patience will yiled a treasure! The textures, harmony and pleasure Sandro Fay are dishing up is exceptional. This will undoubtedly hit the
$119
$114ea in any 3+
$109ea in any 6+
🇮🇹Bravo Isabella!👏🏻
The Robin has landed! Ar.Pe.Pe's blended Superiore 50% bold Grumello + 50% fine, delicate, mineral Sassella! The Pettirosso is a 50:50 blend of Grumello and Sassella fruit. Boldness coming from Grumello and delicacy with fine, mineral traits from Sassella. Try the Superiores from each of the sub-regions and you'll see these characters. The blend works beautifully. The wine has impressive depth and length. What really strikes me is the harmony. The wines are so together. Excellent acid is balance
$158
$151ea in any 3+
$144ea in any 6+
Beautifully composed, flowing and elegant for a Grumello  a commune that can show a little more overt grunt in the context of Valtellina. While there is a rounder mid palate the delicacy entrances. Incredibly layered and fine. The fruit marries woody herbs, spice tea and beyond with a blood orange feel. Long though not quite the length of the Sant’Antonio. Fine drinking to be had here. Very fine, pure, ultra-mineral expression of Nebbiolo here. Strawberry, raspberry, spice, fennel, min
$182
$175ea in any 3+
$168ea in any 6+
This years Sesto Canto doesn’t have quite the sophistication of line and length. The fruit character lean to the riper end of the spectrum and the tannin are more dominant toward the front mid-palate. It’s a delicious drink just with fewer dimensions than the others.  From the most elegant Commune to the most generous, Inferno sits in the middle between, Sassella, and, Grumello. Cherry, strawberry, orange peel, mint and herbs. It’s dry and stony, plenty of citrus zest and a sort
$182
$175ea in any 3+
$168ea in any 6+
The name has changed from Vigna Regina to Nuova Regina the wine is the same ... Delicious! Sassella is typically the most elegant of the Communes made by Ar.Pe.Pe. The Nuova Regina is clearly the most sophisticated of the 2016 Riserva crop. The perfume here ramps up a notch, delicacy and intrigue with underlying power all be it in a mid-weight wine. Constantly changing and evolving with each sniff. The flow, shape and mouthfeel are impeccable. Vibrant red fruit with woody herbs tea, blood ora
$182
$175ea in any 3+
$168ea in any 6+
The Rocce Rosse has a darker feel. Currently, I perceive it as a little richer with an extra squirt of tannin to hold it. Dark spiced, long firm yet fine tannins. Like the Nuova Regina and Sant’Antonio it lingers for some time. Again there is real beauty here. It unfolds in the glass revealing layer after layer. Incredible, complete wine of exceptional balance. It is unfair to separate the two Sassella, they are both stunning. Drinking the pair together on any given night over the next 1
$182
$175ea in any 3+
$168ea in any 6+