# Giùen Rosso di Valtellina Nebbiolo (2024)

- **Producer:** Nino Negri
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Nebbiolo
- **Region:** Lombardia, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €14
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, strawberry, raspberry, violet, rose, vanilla, smoke

## About this wine

Casa Vitivinicola Nino Negri, established in 1897 in Chiuro, is a premier estate in Lombardy's Valtellina region, renowned for its heroic alpine viticulture. The 'Giùen'—meaning 'young' in the local Valtellinese dialect—is crafted to offer a fresh, immediate, and highly accessible expression of the Nebbiolo grape (locally known as Chiavennasca). Grown on steep, south-facing terraced slopes of the Retic Alps, the vines thrive in sandy loam soils supported by centuries-old dry-stone walls, benefiting from dramatic diurnal temperature shifts that preserve the grape's signature alpine freshness.

## Interesting facts

- The name 'Giùen' translates to 'young' in the local Valtellinese dialect, highlighting its fresh and approachable style.
- Nino Negri manages steep terraced vineyards framed by 2,500 kilometers of ancient, hand-built dry-stone walls.
- Unlike traditional heavy Nebbiolos, this wine uses partial carbonic maceration to deliver soft tannins and immediate drinkability.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and moderate, soft tannins of this alpine Nebbiolo make it exceptionally food-friendly. It effortlessly cuts through the richness of cured meats and savory pasta sauces, while its fresh red fruit profile and mineral backbone complement grilled white meats and simple pizzas without overpowering them.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Giùen utilizes a unique whole-berry, partial carbonic maceration technique to emphasize fresh fruit and soft tannins. Hand-harvested Nebbiolo grapes are destemmed but kept completely intact without crushing. They undergo a natural enzymatic fermentation inside the whole berries under carbon dioxide saturation for approximately one week. Following this, the grapes are gently pressed, and fermentation is completed at low, controlled temperatures in stainless steel. The wine is then aged for six months, split between large traditional oak casks and stainless steel tanks to maintain its vibrant primary fruit character.