Sassella Riserva Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2021 - Plozza x 6

The Nobility of Chiavennasca in the Heart of the Sassella Cru: The Philosophy of Plozza Riserva

The Plozza Sassella Riserva Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2021 stands within the premium northern Italian red wine landscape as a model of extraordinary austerity, formal fineness, and sharp regional accuracy. This historic Retiche winery conceived this prestigious Riserva with the precise intent to emphasize the most noble, profound, and complex profile of the Nebbiolo grape (locally named Chiavennasca) cultivated within the appellation's most celebrated subzone. The agronomic project builds on the native strength of the bedrock and the value of time, delivering a still organic red wine endowed with a proud character and a tailored elegance. The Riserva commands attention as a monumental bottle, explicitly built to challenge decades of bottle aging within prestigious international collections.

Pedoclimatic Notes: Luminous Terraces and Traditional Cellar Aging Protocol

The vineyards delve their roots into spectacular stone-walled terraces situated in the Sassella subzone, characterized by steep slopes, a radiant south-facing exposure, and loose soils with a strong matrix of weathered granitic rock and iron. This unique microclimate, mitigated by alpine winds, forces the vine's root system into a balanced agronomic effort, ideal for transferring an innate mineral footprint and a vibrant freshness to the black grape. The climate trend of the 2021 vintage favored a gradual and perfect phenolic ripening of the skins. Following the manual harvest, processing applies strict technological criteria in temperature-controlled vats with extended maceration. The subsequent evolutionary path requires an extended rest in oak barrels followed by bottle aging, safeguarding an alcohol content of 13.50% Vol.

Sensory Profile and Organoleptic Assessment

The exclusive dialogue between the granitic rock of Sassella and extended horizontal rest in fine wood outlines an organoleptic framework of imposing tertiary complexity for this authoritative Lombardia red wine.

• Blend and Classification: 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) / Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva / Sassella Subzone.
• Analytical Data (2021 Vintage): Alcohol Content: 13.50% Vol. / Extended oak and bottle maturation / Volume: 750 ml.
• Visual Assessment: Deep ruby red color, limpid and of excellent brilliance in the glass, enriched by warm, brilliant garnet highlights upon swirling, demonstrating dense viscosity and extractive thickness.
• Olfactory Framework: Broad, tight, and beautifully complex tertiary bouquet. A refined profile emerges on the nose, dominated by consistent scents of ripe cherry, plum, and small red fruits, perfectly integrated with intense medicinal fragrances, notes of sweet spices, leather, dark tobacco, licorice, background balsamic puffs, and a deep flint mineral trace.
• Palate Characteristics: The tasting reveals a dry, warm profile endowed with an enveloping mouthfeel. The progression displays a robust, full, and well-structured body driven by a vibrant acidic backbone that balances the alcohol warmth and adds dynamism to the pour. The tannic texture is fine, silky, and perfectly polished, guiding development toward a long, savory finish of extraordinary persistence.

Service Advice and Gastronomic Pairings

The thickness of the structural architecture, balanced tannins, and aromatic richness of this signature Sassella Riserva qualify it as an ideal companion for fine dining and flavor-rich structured land-based cuisine.

• Stable Pairings: It pairs magnificently alongside second courses based on prominent baked red meats, complex roasts, rich stews, slow-cooked braised dishes, and complex preparations featuring furred or feathered game. It excels paired alongside structured first courses featuring rich meat sauces, wild mushroom risottos, and traditional regional recipes like local Valtellina pizzoccheri. It displays fine synergy when paired alongside flavorful aged charcuterie and selections of long-aged alpine hard cheeses such as historical Bitto or Valtellina Casera.
• Serving Method: To promote the development of the rich tertiary profile and ensure proper tannin integration, opening the bottle and decanting it at least one hour in advance is recommended, using a wide tasting glass and a serving temperature of 16 - 18°C.