When one thinks of the Nebbiolo grape and wines produced from Nebbiolo what region of Italy immediately comes to mind? My guess is that most consumers would immediately think of the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. What if I told you that the Lombardy region right next door also produces Nebbiolo?
In continuation of honoring Women’s History Month, I interviewed with Cristina Scarpellini of Tenuta Scerscé whose winery is situated in the Valtellina wine region of northern Lombardy. Cristina works exclusively with Nebbiolo, which is locally known there as Chiavennasca.
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| Cristina Scarpellini |
Cristina’s winery, Tenuta Scerscé (pronounced “shaer-shay), is set in Lombardy’s northernmost part, Valtellina, bordering Switzerland. This landscape is a valley that was carved out by glaciers during the last Ice Age with the Adda River that runs east out to Lake Como.
Back in 2018 this area was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vineyards in Valtellina are steep and terraced, which are called muretti, meaning little walls. This dramatic landscape demands the land to be worked by hand, which became an intensive labor of love for Cristina. The winery is named after a traditional 2 pronged pitchfork called a “sciarscel” which is used for work around the roots and shoots of the vines.
What’s the difference between Nebbiolo of the Valtellina wine region and Nebbiolo from it’s counterpart in Piedmont? In Valtellina Nebbiolo tends to be on the lighter side and is less tannic. This is mostly due to the climate being cooler in the Valtellina along with the higher elevations. Although these wines lack the power of the neighboring Piedmont region, they display elegance.
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| Chiavennasca grape |
Now onto my interview with Cristina Scarpellini. I hope you enjoy it!
Tell me about your beginnings in the wine industry. I understand you graduated law at the University of Milan. What brought you to starting Tenuta Scersce?
Yes, as you mentioned, I graduated in law in Milan after a research thesis in Paris. Then, upon returning to Italy, a series of coincidences in my life allowed the worlds of law and wine to coexist between 2006 and 2007. One of my clients at the time was actually a Valtellina winery. It all started as a joke, never thinking it would turn into the work of a lifetime. I began with one hectare on lease, and I still clearly remember all the details of that vineyard in the Villa di Tirano area. Initially, the project was managed by the winery, which did subcontracting work for me, until my husband and I decided to venture out on our own. This meant starting from scratch and dedicating ourselves to an agricultural activity we had never done before. My husband doesn’t work in the company, but he has always supported me, and to this day, we share a lot.
Why did you choose Valtellina to establish your winery? Are you originally from Lombardia?
This land captivated me from the very beginning because of its flagship grape, Nebbiolo, known here as Chiavennasca. And so, here I am. Scerscé was founded in 2008, and today, after nearly 17 years, it enjoys a good reputation among consumers. I was born and raised in Bergamo, a city I love and that reflects me a lot. It’s a land of hard workers and people who never give up.
What are you most passionate about and what drives you day to day?
I’m passionate about everything in this work. From the relationship with nature to the relationship with all the people who work with me in the company, who sell my wine, who tell its story, and who know how to value Scerscé every day. It’s a job where you must always stay up-to-date, be on the ball, never take anything for granted, study, gather information, and last but not least, have a lot of patience because nature always decides to do things its own way.
What were some of the challenges when you first began your winery?
The real challenge was starting, working with a small piece of land, trying to do things well, and gradually expanding the vineyard area of the company. In a territory like this, which is very fragmented, it is important to be persistent and responsible towards the people who entrust you with the care of their land. In fact, one often ends up purchasing a vineyard only after having worked it for several years because, at the core of the transaction, there is primarily a relationship of trust between the parties. The challenge is not just about starting a business in Valtellina—starting a winery in the last twenty years means rolling up your sleeves, making sacrifices, and being very realistic in both the entrepreneurial and managerial vision.
Can you share what are some of your challenges you face today over 25 years later?
The world has changed a lot in the last twenty years. Agricultural businesses today are real companies. It is no longer enough to have an exclusively agricultural approach; a managerial approach is necessary. We are witnessing a very rapid change in international commercial scenarios, and wine as a culture seems to be losing some of its appeal, but wine is culture, deeply embedded in the lives of all of us, especially in Italy. Unfortunately, there is also a high turnover and difficulty in finding both skilled and unskilled labor. This is a territory where almost everything is done by hand. On the terraces, it’s not always possible to access with mechanical equipment, so labor is understood as human power. Certainly, my background in law and the opportunity to travel and study abroad allow me to have broad horizons, to build a long-term vision, a company connected to the world. The legal aspect is also fundamental today for navigating the bureaucratic management of our field, which unfortunately is not lacking—in fact, it is constantly evolving and requires a lot of energy.
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| "muretti" in the Valtellina vineyards |
I see that you focus on farming your land both organically and sustainably. Can you tell me more about your initiatives in these farming methods?
We simply don't use herbicides and we follow integrated pest management. This means intervening with a realistic approach, that is, when the plant needs
it and not in a systemic way. A thorough study of the soil in each vineyard allows us to make the best choices to preserve its biodiversity, which is already very present in our vineyards.
What is unique about the wines that you produce in the Valtellina wine region? Can you share more about the grapes and the land?
The wines we produce in Valtellina are unique precisely because they are made in this region. We are located in the mountains with steep slopes, and everything is worked on terraces. Scerscé has terraces that start at an elevation of 400 meters and rise to 700 meters, with significant temperature variations between day and night. In this natural amphitheater between the mountains, the protagonist has always been Nebbiolo, whose biotype is known as Chiavennasca. It is a noble, demanding, and elegant vine that requires a particular environmental and climatic situation, to which the Rhaetian slopes are perfectly suited.
The Guyot or Sylvoz-trained vines enjoy abundant sunlight, which here ensures the same number of sunlight hours as on Pantelleria—1,900 per year—and warmth, both of which are necessary for the vigorous development of the vines.
During the winter months, the Rhaetian Alps protect the valley from cold north winds, while the Orobian Alps, with the Adamello, shield it from cold southern winds. The significant temperature range between day and night, which is especially noticeable during the summer months, not only adds depth to the aromas of the grapes but also extends their ripening period. From late spring through the summer, the Breva wind from Lake Como blows, warming and drying the vine leaves, protecting them from diseases. This creates an ideal microclimate that supports the development of the grape clusters and the ripening of the grapes. In our vineyards, all the Nebbiolo Chiavennasca red grapes grow on sandy-loam soil, completely grassed over, with generally low water retention and high permeability.
The vines are strictly planted according to tradition, and the terraces are connected by stone steps. This requires exclusively manual maintenance, amounting to up to 1,500 hours per hectare per year. We have two important appellations: Valtellina Superiore DOCG and Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG. I manage three sub-zones of Valtellina Superiore: Valgella, Inferno, and Sassella.
Being a woman in this male dominated industry, what advice would you give to other woman either starting out in this business or even just as woman in the wine industry today?
I believe that being equipped with a mix of skills helps women a lot in any situation, from reading a contract to be signed with an importer, to writing a letter, to talking with various organizations. Culture is freedom, especially for a woman! Passion is always the starting point, but it’s not enough! It takes a lot, a lot of commitment and even a bit of obsession, in the most positive sense of the word. Great excellence without a touch of obsessiveness is difficult to achieve.
Do you have any projects on the horizon for Tenuta Scersce?
For me, it is very important to value every plot, every vineyard; therefore, that is the way forward. Yes, there are new projects, but I can’t reveal them now. You will see them come to fruition in a few years.
The Valtellina wine region hosts about 40 wine producers that tirelessly work the land to produce wines that demonstrate what is unique about their piece of the Lombardy wine terrain.
Have you tried wines from Valtellina?
Once I get over this flu that I have I’ll be updating this article with one of the wines I will be trying from Tenuta Scersce.
