Fig and Cypress Trees
To the West: The Upper City of Bergamo’s Towers
Quiet Stream on the Trail
Town of Gavarno-Tribulina
Scene of Valcalepio Vineyards
Rustic Bridge
Gallery September 2022
Tag Archives: Lombardy
Trail for the Ages
At my trailhead in a grass-covered valley, I bemoaned the fact that right at the start, I faced a somewhat steep incline. A toddler liberated from his stroller didn’t mind though, and seemed inclined to head into the woods and toddle up the trail behind me. Passing through deeply forested hillside, a couple of churches, then vineyards, I came to a narrow country road at the top of the hill. Up from an even steeper slope, came a man on a bicycle. He stopped at the top of the hill, as did I, to check the map. We got to chatting. He was a native of Bergamo, which I could see in the distance. He was an avid cyclist. He was 78. I was deeply impressed, and slightly shamed by my earlier whining about steep inclines. His hill was long and steep, coming up from the valley. I decided his great stamina must be due to a life-long exposure to the wines of Valcalepio.
Strade del Vino: Trail in a Nutshell
Trail Name: Strade del Vino; Full name: Escursione Lungo le Strade del Vino (Excursions along the Wine Routes)
Trail Type: mid-distance; maintained in most places, variable paved and unimproved surfaces, marking on the trail only occasional
Length:
Total – 11 kilometers/6.8 miles
Convenient to: Bergamo, Italy
Marking:
A red horizontal bar superimposed over a white one. See Comment below!!!
Gallery December 2021
Picture Perfect Alpine Scene
Sondrio: Renaissance-style Courtyard
On the Trail: Alpine Waterfall
Triasso: Quiet Square
Looking up the Valley: Sondrio
Hiking Valtellina’s Vineyards II
Because I sometimes wonder whether I appreciate wine enough, innumerable tastings notwithstanding, I will occasionally take the time to hike multiple stages of some of the longer European wine trails. That is the case with the Via dei Terrazzamenti (Terrace Way) in Italy’s Valtellina wine region. Set just south of Switzerland in the Lombardy province, this Alpine region is as awesome as it is daunting. I appreciate a physical challenge, and while the trail is not as difficult as it could be, given the rugged nature of the terroir, there are literally several breath-taking ascents. These sometimes seem to climb endlessly, but rejoice in it: the higher the climb the more expansive the views. Then there are the descents that will leave your legs feeling it.
Wine Notes: Italy’s Valtellina II
What I Learned
While the Valtellina wine region is not the northernmost wine producing area in Italy, its grapes grow at altitudes of over 760 meters (2500 feet). The terrain here is dominated by mountains: rocky, incredibly steep, subject to sudden changes in weather from the north.
The classification system in Valtellina, like the appellation controlee system in France, is based on geography. In Valtellina, there are five recognized areas of cultivation of the Chiavennasca grape (known as Nebbiolo in the Piedmont). These five areas are distinct micro zones of terroirs and traditions, each with its own history, and each with its own Chiavennasca wine. Visiting each area, and sampling their wines, provides an excellent opportunity to explore the different expressions of Chiavennasca as vinified in Valtellina.
Trail in a Nutshell: Via dei Terrazzamenti II
Trail Name: Via dei Terrazzamenti (Terrace Way)
Trail Type: Long distance; well-maintained, with a hard-packed, but occasionally uneven, surface; usually good marking on the trail
Length:
Total: 70 kilometers/43 miles (Morbegno – Tirano)
Mine: 14 kilometers/8.5 miles
Convenient to: Sondrio, or Tirano, Lombardy, Italy
Marking:
The words Via dei Terrazzamenti, accompanied by a logo resembling a four-leaf clover on a yellow arrow; sometimes the same logo is on a white bar over red bar rectangular sign (See the featured photo above, and the photo below.)
Continue reading Trail in a Nutshell: Via dei Terrazzamenti II
Gallery November 2021
Valtellina: Vineyards on Edge
Valtellina: From Vines to Above the Treeline
Deep Chasms, Steep Slopes and Peaks in Green
Valtellina From Poggiridenti
Church of San Fedele at Poggiridenti
Tresivio: Between Two Churches
Potable Water Fountain in Ponchiera
Valtellina, Italy
Valtellina Vineyards I
Strung together like a string of pearls, the vineyards of Valtellina occupy terraces along south-facing mountainsides in this spectacular Italian wine region. The vineyards climb vertiginously away from towns along the Adda River, up to villages clinging to the side of the mountain.
Wine Notes: Italy’s Valtellina I
What I Learned
Italy is famous for its for wines, especially powerful, refined reds such as Tuscany’s Brunello, Valpolicella’s Amarones, and Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco wines. The Valtellina region of Lombardy, Italy, also produces well-regarded, powerfully flavorful, red wines, and made from the same varietal that produces Barolo and Barbaresco. It also produces wine in a process similar to Valpolicella’s Amarones. Lovers of such powerful reds will find Valtellina’s DOCG red wines delicious and a good value for the money.