Tre Dita wine blurbs

Moschioni, Schioppettino, 2009

“To grow, to give, to be.”

Winemaker Michele Moschioni’s statement of purpose informs the generosity with all that he does on his family estate of many generations in the Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC in northeastern Italy.

Using organic, hand-harvested grapes with indigenous yeasts, Michele and his son Valentino, wife Sabrina, and daughter Alessia insist on the importance and toughness of family to produce world-class wines that have no equal.

Setting a new standard for quality and terroir expression with the Schioppettino grape, Michele is a trailblazer in the region, recognized the world over.

When it comes to their commitment to quality, Michele has two words: “No compromise.” 

Torre dei Beati, "Giocheremo", Pecorino 2022

Located between the town of Pescara and the highest peak in the Apennine Mountains in the Abruzzo region, the estate derives its name ‘Tower of the Blessed’ from a 14th century mural in the local church.

Fausto Albanese and his family believe that the beauty and quality of a wine cannot be separated from the vineyard.

Certified organic since 2000, Albanese’s ethos is a firm commitment to quality, producing wines from hand-harvested grapes which are selected using the strictest criteria.

His ‘Giocheremo’ Pecorino is the result of many pickings in the vineyard, crafting the wine to express varietal purity in addition to six months on the lees. He and his family believe in leaving a lasting legacy of respect and care for the land for future generations, and for the region.

Vallana Spanna, Gattinara, Piemonte 2017

A pioneer in the region that put Gattinara on the map, Antonio Vallana and his 17 year-old son Bernardo started the winery in 1937 in the town of Maggiora, 100 miles northeast of the Langhe.

The sixth generation of Francis and Marina Fogerty carry on the tradition of sustaining family traditions and a commitment to excellence, regardless of trends.

Nebbiolo, known here as Spanna, finds incredible expression in Alto Piemonte, with Bernardo making world-class wines that rival the best of Barolo and Barbaresco.

The single village appellation of Gattinara DOCG sits on a unique UNESCO geo-site of ancient volcanic soils, creating exceptional conditions for viticulture.

The Vallanas believe their wines and others from Alto Piemonte to be unum, verum, bonum - one, true, and good.

Vignetti Massa, ‘Derthona’, Timorasso 2021

In the Colli Tortonesi DOC on the border of eastern Piemonte, Walter Massa single-handedly resurrected the Timorasso variety from extinction.

Working in obscurity for years, Massa’s determination is driven by his love, passion, and belief in the terroir of the region.

Farming around 30 hectares near the partially abandoned hilltop town of Monleale Alto, the variety of the soils in his higher-elevation vineyards informs the complexity of this wine.

Although he also produces top wines from Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Freisa as well, his ‘Derthona’ of 100% Timorasso is a world-class, benchmark example of this unique, beautiful wine. 

Surrau, ‘Sciala’, Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG 2021

‘Gallura’ translates to ‘stony area’ - and the granite-dominant soils of the Vermentino di Gallura DOCG on the windswept northeastern corner of Sardegna makes for one of the most important sites for Vermentino.

Taking its name from the Surrau valley, the Demuro family have been making wine for generations.

Nestled amongst rugged hills and near the Costa Smeralda, Tino Demuro and his team cultivate 20 hectares exclusively to Vermentino.

The cuvée name ‘Sciala’ has its origins in Arabic, referring to generous fruit and an abundant harvest. With the grapes sourced and blended from his best sites, Demuro wishes to tell the story of the sun, sea, and wind of Gallura.

Elena Walch, ‘Beyond the Clouds’ 2021

An architect by trade, Elena Walch was a pioneer in the Alto Adige region in Northeast Italy, achieving national and international success.

Now in their fifth generation, her daughters Julia and Karoline are at the helm, sustaining their philosophy of having a firm, uncompromising commitment to quality, sustainability, and terroir expression.

With their belief in the importance of the unique expression, personality, and individuality of each vineyard site, ‘Beyond the Clouds’, their grand cuvée, represents this philosophy.

This Chardonnay-based blend of their top vineyard sites and varieties has often been compared to the best of Burgundy.

Re Manfredi, Aglianico del Vulture DOC, Basilicata 2018

On the slopes of the extinct Monte Vulture volcano which rises to 4,300 feet in the region of Basilicata, the Re Manfredi estate sits on some of the most unique volcanic soils in continental Europe.

Considered a benchmark producer in the region, the Montrone family have been making some of the top expressions of Aglianico since 1998.

In addition to the warm, dry climate, the volcanic terroir imparts a minerality to the wine not found elsewhere in Italy.

Sourced from over fifty hectares of estate vineyards of over thirty year-old vines, Re Manfredi has been recognized internationally for its quality and unique expression of Aglianico.

Fèlsina, ‘Rancia’, Chianti Classico Riserva 2019

In 1966, Domenico Poggiali Fèlsina realized the potential for quality Sangiovese in Chianti. With estates that have a history of viticulture dating back thousands of years, Fèlsina developed a team committed to quality and with a respect for tradition.

The unique variety and complexity of the many clones of Sangiovese developed over decades in the vineyards are reflected in the quality, balance, consistency, and style of the final wines.

The ‘Rancia’ vineyard takes its name from the historic Rancia farmhouse which was once a Benedictine monastery. Respect for tradition and the embrace of modern techniques makes this one of the finest examples of Chianti Classico Riserva in the region.

COS, Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico 2020

Seeking to respect the land with humility, hard work, and patience, three friends founded Azienda Agricola COS in 1980 as the youngest wine producers in Italy: Giambattista Cilia, Cirino Strano and Giusto Occhipinti.

They received an old family winery from Giambattista Cilia’s father Giuseppe Cilia and the nearby vineyard of bush trained vines in the famed town of Bastonaca. In 2005, they made the first wine that bore the Denominazione d’Origine Controllata e Garantita (D.O.C.G.) designation, the only one in Sicily.

Today, COS is associated not only with the success of Cerasuolo di Vittoria but also with rigor and quality. The region of Cerasuolo di Vittoria was reborn, and the area around Vittoria is thriving with its extraordinary wines.

Le Macchiole, Bolgheri Rosso 2022

Le Macchiole makes some of the most sought-after monovarietal wines in the world from Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

With a commitment to organic and practicing biodynamic farming, terroir expression, and refinement, Cinzia Merli and her two sons Elia and Mattia make some of the finest wines from the Bolgheri region of Tuscany.

Manually harvested and carefully sorted from small vineyard plots with an attention to nuance and subtlety, this gorgeous blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah is an elegant introduction to what they do best. 

Nino Negri, Sforzato di Valtellina, 2019

In the amphitheater of the steep, terraced slopes facing the majestic Alps in the Lombardia region, the Nino Negri family have been making concentrated, powerful, yet elegant wines from Nebbiolo for over 125 years.

The grapes - here called Chiavennasca - receive intense sunlight and the ‘Breva’ wind that sweeps the Adda Valley from Lake Como, allowing for full ripening yet fresh acidity in these thousand year-old stone terraces.

Hand harvested with scrupulous care, the grapes are dried through the autumn and winter, pressed, then aged in French oak barrels, revealing one of the most singular and unique expressions of Nebbiolo in the world.

As one of Italy’s most decorated estates, Nino Negri’s benchmark Sforzato di Valtellina is recognized around the world for its high quality, power, and finesse.

Tenuta San Guido, ‘Guidalberto’ 2021

After World War II, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta began making a wine for family and friends that would become one of the greatest wines in the world: Sassicaia.

His personal passion and respect for the wines of Bordeaux inspired his plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the gravelly soils of Maremma, recognizing the land’s potential and similarities to the Graves region of Bordeaux.

Three generations later, the vineyards that slope down to the sea from the fortress of Castiglioncello also produce Tenuta San Guido’s ‘Guidalberto’ - a Bordeaux blend named after family ancestor Guidalberto della Gherardesca.

A world-class wine for the twenty-first century, its roots are found in Mario’s original core philosophy of his deep respect for nature.