The Nera family has been a prestigious and important producer in the Valtellina region of Italy, back to founding Pietro Nera in 1940 by Guido Nera. It has grown and expanded its reach in the Valtellina Superiore Docg vineyards, including Sassella, Inferno, and Grumello; throughout that time, it has remained within the family. In 1982, the brothers Stefano and Simone Nera founded Azienda Agricola Caven, a second winery that creates wines using the best grapes, and with small barrel aging adding a further degree of complexity.
The vineyards of Valtellina are planted on steep slopes on hillsides overlooking the Alps. Due to the extreme slopes, the vines can only be tended by humans, and without machine interaction.
The Pietro Nera wines celebrate the regional tradition of the Nebbiolo (locally called “Chiavennasca”) grape. Vinified in white styles as well as red, these wines share the trademark tannic grip of their cousins slightly to the south, in the Piemonte regions of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Langhe. However, with the combination of sun exposure from the orientation and slope of the vines, and breezes that originate from the westerly Lake Como, the Pietro Nera wines feature a firm acidity balanced by rugged fruit, earth, and mineral.
Also unique to Valtellina is the “Sforzato” style, where grapes are dried for several months after harvest, similar to Amarone in the Veneto. Wines made in this style are more powerful and complex, and are a special expression of Nebbiolo.
The Nera family believes in sustainable and virtuous agriculture and winemaking. It limits crop protection to non-toxic products and limits its treatments to no more than 8 per growing season, and follows the guidelines of the Lombardia rural development plan. They draw upon tried-and-true traditions of the regions, along with knowledge acquired in its own experience, to combine responsible winemaking with high quality products.
Casa Vinicola Pietro Nera Website
Products:
La Novella® Alpi Retiche IGT: a white vinification of Nebbiolo, blended with Chardonnay, Incrocio Manzoni, and the locally historic Rossola grapes. A short period of skin contact promotes aromas of fresh and tart lemon and green apple. Data Sheet
Satiro® Rosso di Valtellina DOC: An everyday Nebbiolo from Valtellina. Red fruit and cherry notes, rose aromas, and silky tannin. Data Sheet
Alisio® Valtellina Superiore DOCG Sassella: a red wine made from grapes grown in the Sassella vineyards. This expression of Nebbiolo has prominent sour cherry and raspberry notes, balanced by rose and earth. Data Sheet
Belviso 1380® Valtellina Superiore DOCG Valgella: from the cru Valgella vineyards, this Nebbiolo has the same prominent red fruit and rose notes, with firmer tannins reflecting the vineyard location in the valley. Data Sheet
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG: the Nebbiolo grapes are dried for about 3 months, and then vinified into a powerful red wine that also features the fruit characters more prominently. Data Sheet
Watch a video on the Valtellina region: