Sassella Rocce Rosse Valtellina Superiore Riserva

This wine was served blind and instantly captivated me. My initial guess was Piercarlo Culasso, but a slightly smoked note made me reconsider. The palate confirmed it wasn't Piercarlo Culasso, as it appeared more evolved and less feminine. Arpepe came to mind, but the vintage remained a mystery, given how fresh and young the 1999 Il Pettirosso was; it could range from the 1990s to 2017.

The perfumed nose is graced with beautiful notes of red fruits, chocolate, dried rose petals, spices, wood, and underbrush, with a hint of ya'an cha. It's very clean and beautifully developed, yet still feels so young. The wine is delicate and juicy, with firm tannins and impressive acidity, which, coupled with excellent fruit quality, makes it absurdly juicy and quaffable. It's complex, multilayered, long, and evolving. Truly beautiful stuff.