Cà Bianche
“Altro il vino non è se non la luce del sole mescolata con l’umido della vite” (Wine is nothing else if not the sunlight mixed with the moisture from the vine) - Davide
Cà Bianche winery gets it name from the area in which it is located. It is the highest winery in Valtellina at 2,300 ft / 700 m above sea level. Located Northwest of the town of Tirano in the northernmost subzone of Valtellina, Valgella.
The owner, Davide Bana, has followed his grandfather in the vineyards since he was a child and became so passionate about the world of agriculture and wine that he left his job as an architectural surveyor to open his own winery in 2007 and realize his dream: using old vines that date back pre-war in the 1940’s and planting new vineyards, producing natural wines, telling people his family’s stories and above all making Valtellina wines.
There are currently around twelve thousand bottles produced by Cà Bianche producing: Rosso di Valtellina DOC, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Valtellina Superiore DOCG Reserve and, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG.
Since 2019, Davide has been supported by his wife Stefania, and the winery has continued to become a small, family-owned operation. The work in the vines and harvests are worked personally by Davide and Stefania, who pay particular attention and dedicate lots of time to the vines.
In Valtellina it takes about 510 hours of work per acre, which is seven or eight times more than those required on flat ground. The vineyards are high in altitude and the land reaches a slope of up to 40% in some places.
The grapes are harvested and placed in plastic crates that weigh 44 lbs./ 20 kg each. Then (as shown in picture at bottom of page of Davide, owner) they are loaded on their backs and hauled up the steep slopes to the winery.
Every step of the wine making process is conducted by Davide. They give their personal attention to everything, allowing them to maintain and continue to show the naturalness of the wines and what the land offers.
Effort, commitment, personal dedication, keeping everything natural and above all passion is what shines through in Cà Bianche’s wines. The exceptionally long history dedicated to daily work and the careful safeguarding of tradition is what makes their wines truly exquisite.
Property: Azienda Agricola Bana Davide
Owner: Davide Bana
Region: Lombardy
Province: Sondrio
Township: Tirano
Total Vineyards: 3.5 ha / 8.5 acres
Total property: 4 ha / 9.88 acres
Wine Area: Valtellina DOC, DOCG
Established: 2007
First Traded: 2011
Vines Planted: Some pre War 1940’s
Year Replanted: 2018
Enologist: Davide Bana
Agronomo: Davide Bana
Territory: Steep Mountain
Yield per Vine: 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs
Total Production: 1,000 - 12 packs
Elevation: 550 -700 mt asl/ 1,804-2,296 ft asl
Training: Guyot
Cellar Capacity: 200 hl/ 5,280 gal
Soil: Clay, silt
Harvesting: Manual - crates only
“LA MALPAGA“
ROSSO DI VALTELLINA DOC
GRAPES: 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - from a small vineyard above Tirano that was, inherited from Davide’s paternal grandfather.
“Malpaga”: Is a long and narrow vineyard (see rectangle on label) that is difficult to reach. The yield is so low and the effort to harvest is very high so for them it has always been “Malpaga” which means it “pays poorly”.
PRODUCTION
After phenolic ripening with an ideal temperature range typical of the zone, the grapes are harvested and brought to the winery for the completely natural wine-making process. Only native yeasts are used, with no cultured yeasts of any kind added. After about two weeks of maceration with the skins, the wine is racked and transferred to stainless steel tanks, where malolactic fermentation is completed. About two months later, the coarsest deposits are filtered off and the wine is moved to terracotta amphoras, where it is aged for 12 months. Finally, after bottling, it is aged for another 12 months
DESCRIPTION
Ruby red in color, with a bouquet of cherry and raspberry with slightly minerality and spice notes. It has a good tannin level and is fine and elegant on the palate. Excellent as an aperitif with cold cuts and cheese, and also delicious with pasta dishes, white meats and poultry
ALC. BY VOL: 13%
“LA TENA“
VALTELLINA SUPERIORE DOCG
GRAPES: 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - vines with a history of over 50 years of careful tending.
“Tena” is the name of the vineyard that they make their Valtellina Superiore from. The name was registered as the title of the deed for the land where the vines were planted 80 years ago. It stands 2,132ft/ 650m above sea level. It is a symbol of tradition, inherited from Davide’s paternal grandfather, that merges passion and sacrifice.
PRODUCTION
The grapes are harvested manually with crates backpacks around the middle of October and transferred to the winery. There is a completely natural alcoholic fermentation, using only native yeasts. with no addition of cultured yeasts. After about 30/40 days of maceration, the wine is racked and left for about two months in stainless steel tanks, where malolactic fermentation takes place. It is then transferred to large Slavonian oak casks, where it is aged for 24 months, followed by another few months in stainless steel vats. After bottling, ageing is continued for at least 12 months
DESCRIPTION
Ruby red color, leaning towards bright garnet and a bouquet of berries – blackberries and raspberries – and ripe fruit, with spice notes. Its tannin level is typical of Nebbiolo, and acquires elegance from its lengthy cask ageing.
The exposure to the sun guarantees a wide temperature variation during September and October, vital for the wine’s bouquet, elegance, unique fragrances and flavors that embody the character of Valtellina.
ALC. BY VOL: 13.5%
“FASET”
SFORZATO DI VALTELLINA DOCG
GRAPES: 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) - grown at 2,300 ft./ 700m asl
“The name – “Fasèt – derives from the dialect word for “fazoletto” - “handkerchief”, referring to the small plots of terraced land between drystone walls on which Valtellina vines are grown on.
PRODUCTION
The choice quality, healthy, carefully selected grapes are arranged in trays of about 8.5 pounds each and placed in ventilated rooms with controlled temperature, where they undergo the “appassimento” process (a slow, lengthy drying process). About 2/3 months after harvesting, the grapes are pressed, followed by alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, using only native yeasts, with no addition of cultured yeasts. Maceration with the skins lasts for about 40 days, after the wine is transferred to steel vats for malolactic fermentation. About six months later, the wine is moved to oak casks of 225 liters/60 gallons, where it is aged for at least 24 months. The wine is left to mature further in steel for about another 4/5 months, and then aged in the bottle for at least 12 months.
DESCRIPTION
The lengthy drying of the grapes used provides a bouquet of jam, plums and ripe fruit, making it unique of its kind, as well as a particularly smooth, full-bodied structure. Faset Sforzato, is ideal for serving with traditional Valtellina foods: cheeses and cold cuts, game and red meats.
ALC. BY VOL: 15%
Discover Valtellina/Lombardy: The steep terraced Alps
Lombardy, a distinguished wine region north of Lake Como. Leonard da Vinci referred to the Valtellina area as producing powerful and intoxicating wines in his writings. This horizontal wine region has been making wine for over 2,000 years, long before the Romans. The area offers a perfect microclimate for the cultivation Chiavanesca (Nebbiolo) grapes.
