Vino
Valtellina

Dirupi

Dirupi was founded in 2004 in the mountainous region of Valtellina in Lombardy just south of the Swiss border. The founders, Pierpaolo Di Franco and Davide Fasolini, are two childhood friends that crossed paths once again when they both were completing enology degrees in university. Neither had inherited land to work after graduation so the two combined what little resources they had upon completion of their degrees and rented 15 different terraced sites in Valtellina devoted to Chiavennasca. Dirupi employs sustainable practices and strives to farm organically, but the humid climate of Valtellina makes organic certification difficult. So it is all the more impressive that three of their wines achieved organic certification with the 2015 vintage.

Above the cellar housed in a sixteenth century building in Sondrio, the vineyards are scattered across Sondrio, Montagna, Poggiridenti, Grumello and Inferno. Typical to the region, all sites vary in some degree when it comes to exposure and altitude, but the terraces are predominantly sandy and poor. Organic fertilizers are used, wild ground cover is trimmed back with scythes, and naturally all harvesting is done by hand. Plots are harvested as individual lots and brought down the slope to be vinified together based on the altitude of the vineyards the fruit came from. Macerations tend to be 12-30 days long and fermentation starts in stainless steel. The wines then age for at least 18 months in a combination of French oak 225 liter barrels and 20 hectoliter vats. Bottles are held below the cellar in ideal conditions to achieve a mesmerizing character of elegance and complexity.

The wines

  • "Olé!" Rosso di Valtellina DOC – 2016

    red Red 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) • Vines Age miscellaneous up to 100 years • Morainic (glacially formed accumulation) - Sandy Soil • South Exposure • Altitude 400-450 m a.s.l • 12 days of skin contact • 6 months in stainless steel • 2 months bottle fining

  • "Dirupi" Valtellina Sup. DOCG – 2013

    red Red 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) • Vines Age miscellaneous up to 100 years • Soil • Altitude 450-600 m a.s.l • South Exposure • 25-30 days of skin contact • 1 year in 20-35Hl French oak barrel • 6 months of bottle fining

  • "Vigna Riserva" Valt. Sup. DOCG – 2013

    red Red 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) • Vines Age miscellaneous up to 100 years Morainic (glacially formed accumulation) - Sandy Soil • Single Vineyard “Dossi Salati” • Altitude 530-570 • South Exposure • 30-40 days of skin contact • 2 years into 20Hl Allier Oak Barrel • 12 months of bottle fining

  • “Gess” Grumello Valtellina superiore DOCG - 2015

    red Red 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) • Vines Age miscellaneous up to 100 years Morainic (glacially formed accumulation) - Sandy Soil • Altitude 480-530 mt a.s.l • Single Vineyard “Gess” • South Exposure • 30-40 days of skin contact • 2 years into 5Hl tonneau • 12 months of bottle fining

  • "Vino Sbagliato" Sforzato DOCG – 2014

    red Red 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) • 60 days of whitering into ventilated chambers • Vines Age miscellaneous up to 100 years Morainic (glacially formed accumulation) - Sandy Soil • Single Vineyard “Chioso” • South Exposure• Altitude 600-650 m a.s.l • 20 days of skin contact • 1 year Barriques and tonneaux Oak Barrel • At least 12 months of bottle fining

Wines & Producers