2022 ArPePe "Rocca del Piro" Valtellina Superiore Grumello (Nebbiolo)

The 2022 Valtellina Superiore Grumello Rocca del Piro is another very pretty mid-level wine from Ar.Pe.Pe. Dark red/purplish fruit lavender, rose petal, mint, sage and licorice bring out the darker side of Chiavennasca. Polished tannins frame the finish effortlessly. I would prefer to drink this sooner rather than later. (AG)

Named for the medieval castle above the vines, Rocca de Piro is ArPePe’s Grumello: two estate vineyards of old vines, some nearly a century old, on terraces between 350 and 500 metres, and the most immediate of the family’s crus. In the glass, it pours a brilliant, transparent ruby. The nose is perfumed and slightly spicy: raspberry and wild cherry, rose, a hint of cocoa and the iron note Grumello’s rocks give. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and silky, with fine acidity, polished tannins and a long, mineral finish with a cool, dark edge. At $69.99 this is the cru to open first while the Sassella and the Riservas sleep. Brasato, venison, aged Casera; drink over the next ten years.