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Ar.Pe.Pe. Valtellina Sassella Stella Retica 2022

$7599
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
Ar.Pe.Pe. has cult followers worldwide for its Alpine Nebbiolo, and Stella Retica is the Sassella bottling that shows why: Chiavennasca (the local name for Nebbiolo) from the Sassella cru. The name comes from the Rhaetian side of the Alps, which the Sassella is carved into, and from the stella alpina, the edelweiss children hoped to find on mountain walks. (A climber has since named a route after the wine, and you can find it on the maps.) The vines grow on steep terraces held up by hand-built dry-stone walls, and every cluster is picked by hand, on foot, one terrace at a time. Then comes the patience Arturo Pelizzatti Perego built the house around when he re-founded it in 1984: spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in large, traditional upright casks, and release only when the wine is ready. The family motto, "il giusto tempo del Nebbiolo," means the right waiting time for Nebbiolo, and few wines put it into practice as plainly as this one. The family compares the first sip to the wine's tongue-twister of a name: taut enough to astonish you, soft enough not to catch you unprepared.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


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Antonio Galloni

92 points

"The 2022 Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva Stella Retica is an absolute delight. Aromatic and vibrant, with terrific presence, the 2022 is all class. Dark red/purplish fruit, blood orange, pomegranate and orange peel are all sculpted in the glass. This is such an elegant and polished wine." —Antonio Galloni

More about

ARPEPE is short for Arturo Pelizzatti Perego, the founder of the estate. Sadly Arturo passed 15 years ago, but his children have continued the work he started. Emanuele and Isabella have expanded the winery and this allows them the luxury of patience. They can age the wines for years in tanks, concrete vats and large neutral oak barrels until they are ready to bottle, and they can age them even longer in bottle until they are ready to sell and drink.

The vineyard work is laborious and almost entirely by hand due to the steepness of the slope. They eschew the use of herbicides and pesticides and essentially farm the same way as their ancestors did.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Nebbiolo

  • Vintage

    2022

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    Crisp

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Pizzoccheri with cabbage and bitto cheese, braised beef shin with polenta taragna, roast guinea hen with porcini, osso buco, or a board of bresaola and aged alpine cheeses.

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic Sassella profile: red cherry, wild strawberry and violet, with dried herbs, a touch of spice and a stony, Alpine freshness. Typically medium-bodied, with lively acidity and fine, firm tannins softened by patient time in large old casks. Think a lighter, more mountain-fresh take on Barolo, finishing dry, savoury and long.

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