The nose is a lovely blend of red berries, flowers, and soil/iron, but is relatively 'toned down' for Nebbiolo. Likewise, the palate showed satin-textured red fruit and minerality, with a hint of typical Nebbiolo tar and those seductively smooth tannins and acidity. \n \n Producer Information \n Arpepe (also sometimes stylised as Ar.Pe.Pe) is a well-regarded wine producer based in the town of Sondrio in the Valtellina wine region of Lombardy in northern Italy, producing a range of wines predominantly based on the local expression of Nebbiolo. As a family affair (Arpepe is a conflation of the founder's name: Arturo Pelizzatti Perego), Arpepe dates back to the 19th Century when it was established as Pelizzatti. Despite a solid reputation, rocky times in the 1970s saw the Pelizzatti family sell several vineyard plots and the original domaine name. The winemaking enterprise was revived in the mid-1980s as Arpepe and, over the years, some of the vineyards sold in the 70s come back under the control of the estate. The portfolio is headed by a range of Valtellina Superiore labels covering the Grumello, Inferno and Sassella DOCG subregions. Based on Chiavennasca (the local name for Nebbiolo), these often single-vineyard expressions also encompass stylistic variations, from the vine-raisined Ultimi Raggi (Sassella) to the use of chestnut oak barrels in the Sesto Canto Riserva (Inferno). An entry-level Rosso di Valtelina and Il Pettirosso (the latter a Valtellina Superiore blend of the three main subregions) – both from Chiavennasca, although "Nebbiolo" is used on the label – are also produced. The estate covers 13 hectares (32 acres) of vineyard, all in Valtellina. Winemaking is relatively traditional with a preference for steel and concrete tank fermentation and aging in oak vats and large-format oak barrels.
