ARPEPE 2016 Riservas: the alpine Nebbiolo that makes Thanksgiving dinner taste even more special

ARPEPE is one of Italy’s most singular and quietly legendary estates, perched high in the alpine terraces of Valtellina in Lombardy. Founded in 1860 and still entirely family-run, the winery is defined by heroic viticulture: impossibly steep granite slopes, south-facing stone terraces, and painstaking manual work that most modern producers would consider madness. Yet this is precisely the point. ARPEPE has built its identity on patience, tradition, and an almost monastic dedication to Nebbiolo—locally called Chiavennasca—vinified with long macerations and extended aging in large old casks. Nothing is rushed, nothing is forced, and every bottle feels like it carries both the mountain and the family’s soul.

While Barolo and Barbaresco showcase Nebbiolo through the lens of Langhe’s marl, limestone, and fog-touched hills, ARPEPE reveals the grape in an entirely different dialect. In Valtellina, the soils are poor, sandy decomposed granite; the climate is alpine, dry, and ventilated; and the terraced vineyards rise to dizzying altitudes. Instead of the dense, tar-and-roses power typical of Barolo or the silky tension of Barbaresco, ARPEPE’s Nebbiolo is vertical, crystalline, and mineral-driven. The tannins are finer, the fruit more alpine in register—mountain strawberry, red currant, dried herbs, pine needle, stone dust. It’s Nebbiolo purified by altitude, almost Burgundian in its finesse yet unmistakably Italian in its structure and soul.

Even within Valtellina, ARPEPE stands apart. Many local producers make lighter, more straightforward wines meant for early drinking, but ARPEPE insists on long fermentations, slow élévage, and release dates that border on rebellious. Their single-cru bottlings—Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, and the rare Riservas—have a depth, longevity, and emotional resonance that few in the region attempt. They are wines of silence and patience, wines that reward contemplation, wines that can age for decades while retaining a luminous freshness. In short, ARPEPE does not simply offer an alternative expression of Nebbiolo; it offers one of the most unique interpretations of the grape anywhere in the world, standing confidently alongside Barolo and Barbaresco while remaining unlike anything else from its own mountains.

ARPEPE’s 2016 Riservas are a dream match for Thanksgiving because their alpine Nebbiolo profile brings clarity, lift, and nuance to a table full of rich, overlapping flavors. The bright acidity slices through turkey, gravy, and stuffing, while the delicate red-berry fruit and floral notes mesh effortlessly with cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and roasted vegetables. Their fine, mountain-born tannins provide just enough structure for hearty dishes without ever overwhelming them, and the mineral backbone adds a refreshing counterpoint that keeps each bite feeling vibrant—making these wines some of the most graceful and food-friendly companions you can pour for a holiday feast.

ARPEPE Valtellina Superiore Riserva Grumello Buon Consiglio 2016

Made from Chiavennasca grown on steep, rocky Grumello terraces, it undergoes ARPEPE’s signature long maceration and slow aging in large neutral casks. The 2016 vintage delivered superb balance, bright acidity, and pristine mountain fruit thanks to a cool, even growing season. The wine is elegant and lifted, showing red cherry, rose petal, alpine herbs, and a fine, mineral backbone that promises long aging.

Special Price $124.99 – Last 30 bottles available

ARPEPE Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella Nuova Regina 2016

Harvested from high, sun-drenched terraces in the Sassella district, it ferments gently with extended skin contact before years of refinement in old wood and bottle. The superb 2016 vintage highlights purity and structure, giving the wine remarkable tension and clarity. On the palate it is graceful yet firm, offering cranberry, strawberry leaf, crushed stone, and a long, cool, red-mineral finish.

Special Price $124.99 – Last 10 bottles available

ARPEPE Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella Rocce Rosse 2016

Produced from the steepest, warmest red-rock terraces of Sassella, it undergoes a very long maceration and protracted cask aging that emphasizes depth and longevity. The exceptional 2016 vintage adds precision and energy, enhancing the wine’s natural concentration. It is the most powerful of the trio, with layers of red cherry, dried flowers, iron, smoke, and a tightly wound, age-worthy structure.

Special Price $124.99 – Last 30 bottles available

Wines are in our temp-controlled cellar ready for delivery

For a special treat, we are releasing a small cache of beautifully aged bottles from another northern Lombardy gem: the tiny, traditional Petterino winery of Gattinara. This family estate—farming just a handful of hectares—works with a devotion that mirrors the great artisanal producers of the Alps: long aging in large neutral botti, slow evolution in their cool cellars, and an unwavering commitment to classic Alto Piemonte Nebbiolo. Production is minute, the style is old-school, and the wines are treasured by those who love purity, restraint, and the haunting, mineral elegance that only the volcanic soils of Gattinara can give.

Petterino Gattinara 2013

Made from Nebbiolo grown on Gattinara’s iron-rich volcanic slopes, it is traditionally vinified and aged for years in large old casks before release. The 2013 vintage was cool and long, yielding wines of exceptional definition and lift. Expect a graceful, mature profile of sour cherry, dried rose, sweet tobacco, and subtle volcanic minerality with beautifully resolved tannins.

Special Price $69.99 - 6 bottles available

Petterino Gattinara Riserva 2010

Crafted from select parcels and given extended aging well beyond the norm, the Riserva is released only when Petterino deems it ready. The 2010 vintage is legendary in Alto Piemonte, producing wines of superb structure and longevity. This bottle shows deep complexity—dried red fruits, leather, iron, forest floor, and a firm yet elegant frame—offering a rare chance to drink perfectly aged, classical Nebbiolo at its peak.

Special Price 109.99 – 1 case available

Wines are in our temp-controlled cellar ready for delivery