A small region in the balance between Italy and France, Valle D'Aosta has a single DOC Valle D'Aosta or Valleè d'Aoste; by virtue of existing bilingualism, labels can also be written in French.
The viticulture is strongly limited by the high altitude of the vineyards - only 684 hectares, for a production in 2009 of 22,000 hl of wine (last place in Italy) - which allows the definition of its products as mountain wines. And never definition was more appropriate, especially for those obtained from vines grown up to 1200 m, in the Alta Valle, at the limits of the survival of the vine, with terracing or pergola systems supported by stone columns. Among these the Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle, obtained from priè blanc, is characterized by a very pale straw color, delicate aromas reminiscent of mountain flowers, an accentuated acidity and a rather low alcohol content; this vine is the only Italian vine to have survived the phylloxera, thanks to its natural isolation.
The Valdostano vineyard follows the path of the Dora Baltea, a river that crosses the region, and can be divided into three zones: the Upper Valley, the Central Valley and the Lower Valley.
In addition to the blanc priè, in the first two are grown other native vines, which give a unique imprint to the wines produced, such as the premise, from which is obtained a white wine with soft pink reflections, the fumin and the petit rouge. The beautiful aromaticity of the white muscat of malvoisie or pinot gris, often subject to withering, is expressed respectively in the sweet wines of Chambave Moscato and Nus Malvoisie Flètri.
The Valdostan production has a clear predominance of red wines, and the red grape varieties occupy about 85% of the area under vines. In particular, in the Lower Valley, towards Piedmont, Nebbiolo (here called Picoutener) is highlighted, which gives wines with excellent structure and good longevity, such as the Donnas and the Arnad-Montjovet.
Information about Aosta Valley
Region |
Aosta Valley |
Country |
Italy |
Morphology of the land |
Plain: 0%
Hill: 35%
Mountain: 65%
|
Hectares of vineyard |
684 |
Climate and soil |
The climate is typical of the alpine regions: cold in winter and cool in summer. In the period from October to March it snows abundantly, both in the high mountains and in the valleys. |
History |
It was named in honor of Ottaviano Augusto, Augusta Praetoria and from that name derives its current name of the Region and of the city: Aosta. It was the salassi, prestoric tribe of Lugure-Gallic origin, the first inhabitants of the valley who practiced in this land the cultivation of the vine with some success. These inhabitants opposed considerable resistance to Roman domination, so much so that in 25 BC. the Roman consul Aulus Terentius Varrone Murena, after having broken the resistance, brought 36,000 of them to the Ivrea market to be sold as slaves.
The first documents referring to vines and vines date back to 515, in reference to the legacy that Sigismondo made to the Abbey of S. Maurizio in Valais, and subsequently the wine tradition was maintained in the monasteries, even under the dominion of the Goths, the Lombards , of the Franks and of the Savoy from the ninth century. |
Typical products |
The typical grape of the Valle d'Aosta is the petit rouge, with a taste similar to the mondeuse of Savoia. Dark, fresh and fruity, it forms the basis, among other things, of the Enfer d'Avier and the Torrette, which fall within the DOC Valle d'Aosta. Fumin grapes produce more long-lived wines. The very active region also produces refined white wines from important grapes: the very light Blancs de la Salle and de Morgex, some Malvoise and Petite Arvine of Swiss origin, and some very appreciated Chardonnays. |
Typical dishes |
The gastronomy of the Valle d'Aosta is of mountain origin, in general, provides for little use of oil, replaced by butter, pasta is rare and is replaced by soup based on bread, broth, vegetables and polenta. A typical dish is the Valpellinentze soup (of Velpelline), gnocchi alla fontina made with potatoes and cooked then baked with butter and fontina, valdostana crêpes, stuffed with fontina and baked in the oven with butter and béchamel, polenta tanning. Another specialty is the valdostana steak, breaded and fried in melted butter and covered with cooked ham and fontina. Also present the game, with chamois and hare in salmì, cold meats like the boudin (sausages), the mocetta, that is the legs of chamois and goat treated in brine with aromatic herbs and stored in well-ventilated areas. The variety of regional desserts is simple, simple and familiar, but we remember the round biscuits made of almonds, the torcetti of Saint-Vincent, the kisses of Courmayer similar to the Rum cuneesi, the brochart made with resol, sweetened milk and Rye bread. |
Red grape varieties |
Dolcetto, Fumin, Gamay, Mayolet, Nebbiolo, Prié Rouge- Premetta
|
White grape varieties |
Chardonnay, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato Bianco/Moscato Reale, Müller Thurgau, Petite Arvine, Pinot Bianco, Priè Blanc
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DOC |
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