Arturo Pelizzatti Perego Wines

Arturo Pelizzatti Perego

AR.PE.PE srl.
Via Buon Consiglio
23100
Sondrio
Italy

Telephone 00 39 0342 214 120 & fax

Arturo is the forth generation of his family to make wine. His daughter Isabella will be the fifth.
Arturo has a philosophy which has to be admired. He believes in the traditional methods of wine making. He say these methods have been tested over centuries, this way he maintains the high quality of his Valtellina wines. Arturo’s vineyards are on steep stony of the Italian Alps.
The old stone walls, one after another after another climb high on the slope making working the vines an arduous task. The valley runs from East to West so that his vines get the sun all day. His enthusiasm is unbounded. It certainly shows in his wines.

The family have been making wines since 1860. The company bought grapes from 472 growers until 1973 when Arturo’s father died. The company broke up and Arturo started again on his own in 1983.

Tradition is stamped into the large wooden vats, the furniture and the wine. Asking when the 1998 Sassella was to be bottled I was told 2003. The 1996 Grumello in big oak casks will be bottled as I write this in July 2002.

My tasting notes of Sassella 1996, Stella Retica; slight brown edges, huge typically Italian nose (the 100% Nebbiolo), light spices, strawberries, smooth long palate with balance, elegance and style.18>. Matured in oak and stainless steel. A wine to keep.

Sassella, Vigna Regina, Riserva 1991, Chiavennasca (the local name for Nebbiolo) 95%, Rossola (Coda di Volpe della Valtellina) and Pinot Noir 5%.
The wine had a warm nose with slight leather and a hint of tabacco, very slightly brown edges, light soft fruit, yet a nice gentle concentration, almost a hint of orange, beautiful old wine, beautifully balanced. This wine will last for years, in some ways it is still very young.18>
It was matured in oak and chestnut barrels.

Ultima Raggi, is an experimental wine. It is made from a blend of wines from 1995 (10%) and 1999 (90%). 100% Passito and 100% Nebbiolo, 13.5% abv.

The nose was a bit closed, the palate had wondrous concentration, superb, good spice, long and then again long. A beautifully made wine, excellent 19 1/2.

I have dreamt about this wine since I tasted it. I am so glad I bought some.

The more Pelizzatti Perego wines I tasted the more I wished to taste, then taste them again and again. I did say taste. The trip was worth it just to visit Arturo, his wife and his daughter. I told Arturo that if I were a couple of years younger I would pay court to his daughter Isabella. Think of it, a lovely girl and a father-in-law with magic wines. Perchance to dream.