Ascesa

While two hectares isn’t much on paper, Testa’s parcels are noncontiguous—just a third of an acre on average—and feature terraced rows that climb to nearly 1,800 feet. Tractors aren’t designed for such terrain, and since the estate is so scattered about Tresivio and surrounding communes, Testa navigates windy roads and switchbacks in a four-by-four only to pass each row on foot and tend to each vine by hand. “The average time spent per hectare in Piedmont and Tuscany is about 400 hours per year. I spend 1,200,” he chuckles. But there’s a payoff, he adds: “Nebbiolo here is tough in the vines and easy in the cellar.”

Just two decades ago, Chiavennasca, or Nebbiolo of Valtellina, was known to be finicky and stubborn. Maturity was inconsistent, uneven, and the threat of snow damage to vines, hailstorms, and late-season frosts loomed over every vintage—decimating yields in hard years. But with a warming climate, recent years have presented more flexibility (and less stress) as harvest approaches. There’s no longer a need to sacrifice either acidity or fruit, and the grapes produce more generous tannins.

In the follow up to Ascesa’s inaugural 2018 release, the wafting, floral aromatics and red-fruited side of Valtellina emanate, underpinned by the appellation’s signature freshness and a depth that Testa attributes to the old vines.