Valtellina contains some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in Europe and has been a crossroads of cultures and people for millennia. The region’s wine and food has been shaped by the geography of the area and it is hearty, rustic fare, with the red wines produced from Nebbiolo, known locally as Chiavennasca. Nino Negri is the region’s finest producer. Valtellina has four ‘crus’ (Sassella, Inferno, Grumello and Fracia), and Negri owns vines in all of them. The wines are deep and complex with a structure that allows them to stand up to the most robust foods. The flagship wine is Sfursat 5 Stelle, a regular Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) award winner in the Gambero Rosso and a past winner of the guide’s Red Wine of the Year. Awarded a “STAR” in 2007 for winning more than 10 Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) awards, in 2010 it got its 15th with The Sfursat 5 Stelle 2006.
