NINO NEGRI MAZER VALTELLINA SUPERIORE DOCG 2020

Nino Negri has been working Valtellina's near-vertical terraces since 1897, making them the reference point for alpine Nebbiolo in northern Lombardy. The Mazèr — named from the local dialect word for 'distinguished' — draws from south-facing slopes between roughly 900 and 1,600 feet, where shallow sandy loam soils retained by dry-stone walls push the vine hard. Ten to fifteen percent of the grapes are dried before separate fermentation, then blended back and aged in Slavonian oak, adding depth without overworking the fruit. Expect blackberry, bay leaf, and juniper on the nose, with velvety tannins and a dry, savory finish.