Ar.Pe.Pe. Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella Rocce Rosse 2016

Name: Ar.Pe.Pe. Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella Rocce Rosse 2016
Brand: Lyra [LYR]
SKU: SF-1-LYR--091426-2
Price: 155.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$155⁹⁹

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This is Ar.Pe.Pe.'s flagship Riserva, and it's the bottle that explains why this small Valtellina house has cult followers around the world. Rocce Rosse ("red rocks") is 100% Chiavennasca, the local name for Nebbiolo. It grows in the Sassella cru on terraces facing south and southeast, 400 to 500 meters up, and the parcel is named for the red granite that defines the site. Arturo Pelizzatti Perego created this Riserva in 1984 in the heart of the Sassella. He restored a vineyard he had inherited from his father, convinced that only Alpine Nebbiolo could make this wine. The family describes roots forcing their way into the granite while the breva, a wind blowing up from Lake Como, cools the valley. Together they make a pretty good picture of why Nebbiolo up here is a different animal from the Langhe: more vertical, more mineral, less about muscle. The cellar work is old school, with a long maceration in large wooden vats and then long ageing in cask before release. If you only know Nebbiolo through Barolo, this is the bottle that will change how you think about the grape.

Shipping

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Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
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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.

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Antonio Galloni

93 points

"The 2016 Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse is peaking today. Sweet red cherry fruit, kirsch, mint, dried leather, tobacco, spice and worn-in leather caress the palate. Silky and open-knit, with lovely complexity, the 2016 has a lot to offer. It's a fine choice for drinking now and over the next few years, maybe more." —Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker

96 points

"The Ar. Pe. Pe. 2016 Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella Rocce Rosse is initially understated with timid primary fruit, blood orange and apricot. There is a pretty spiciness as well, with dried cinnamon stick, nutmeg and tanned leather. The wine needs time, and if you come back to the glass after a little pause, it sings with greater intensity and balance. This is a release of 25,302 bottles that sees 97 days on the skins and 34 months of wood and cement aging."

Wine Spectator

92 points

"A bright red driven by a tang of salinity and lively acidity aligned with taut, integrated tannins and aromas and flavors of crushed cherry and strawberry, tea rose and crushed pine, revealing an umami hint of dried porcini mushroom."

Kerin O'Keefe

98 points

"Tight, taut and very young, this gorgeous wine has intense aromas of Alpine berry, orange zest, camphor and cake spice. On the savory, elegantly structured palate, firm tannins accompany crushed mint, wild strawberry, pomegranate and grilled Porcini. A salty note signals the close while vibrant acidity keeps it balanced." —Kerin O'Keefe

More about Ar.Pe.Pe.

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

2016
Size

750ml
Farming Practice

Organic
Style

Minerally
Sweetness

Dry
Body

Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Pizzoccheri (Valtellina buckwheat pasta with cabbage, potato and Casera cheese), bresaola with aged Bitto, porcini risotto, braised venison with polenta, roast duck with juniper

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic Alpine Nebbiolo profile: red cherry and redcurrant, dried flowers, mountain herbs and a stony, granite-driven minerality, with the savoury, earthy notes that long cask ageing brings. Think a lighter, more vertical Barolo: medium-bodied, with lively acidity, firm but fine tannins and a long, dry, mineral finish. Built to age.