Le Strie, first and foremost, is a story of passion and hard work and until you have been to the Alpine mountainous region of Valtellina you can’t really grasp the application necessary to make wine here. Valtellina is breathtaking, a precarious drive up from Lake Como, it is popular with tourists in both summer and winter. The vineyards, dating back centuries, are terraced on the steep slopes typified by a heavy, sandy and acidic soil. A perfect setting for the imperious Nebbiolo grape that rules supreme in this region.
A very special winery started by two friends, Stefano and Paolo along with their wives Luciana and Marisa, Le Strie was born in 2003. With only a yearly production of 10,000 bottles they produce wines of the highest quality.
The thing that struck me the most was the realisation of how hard it was to work these vines. Due to the steep and rocky nature of the slopes, any form of mechanisation simply would not be possible. I spent a day with Stefano and it was tiring enough just hiking up and down to keep up with him but whilst watching him work it began to dawn on me exactly what kind of dedication must go in to the wine production here.
I have a new level of respect and appreciation for Valtellina and its wine but more so for the people who make it. You have to really love what you do if you choose to do it here and I hope that comes across when you sample the fantastic wines from Le Strie.
