(September 17, 2019; Napa, CA)—Dalla Terra Winery Direct® announced today that Tenuta Scerscé has joined Dalla Terra’s portfolio of family-owned Italian estates. Dalla Terra will be the sole USA agent for Tenuta Scerscé, a small producer specializing in the cultivation of Chiavennasca (Alpine Nebbiolo) in the dramatic Valtellina region in Northern Italy.
Valtellina, located in the northernmost part of Lombardy near the Swiss border, is known for its extreme vineyards, planted on incredibly steep slopes and built into ancient terraces called muretti (Italian for “little walls”). In 2018, UNESCO declared the region a World Heritage Site.
Tenuta Scerscé is comprised of seven and a half acres of estate vineyards in Teglio and has long term leases on approximately ten additional acres in Tirano. Tenuta Scerscé farms all seventeen and a half acres of vineyards, all of which are planted exclusively to Chiavennasca, and farmed sustainably and organically. The winery currently produces three wines:
Valtellina
Rosso di Valtellina “Nettare” Nebbiolo DOC, Valtellina Superiore “Essenza” Nebbiolo DOCG, and Sforzato di Valtellina “Infinito” Nebbiolo DOCG with three more new wines being released in 2020.
Tenuta Scerscé was founded in 2008 when Cristina Scarpellini, then an international lawyer, leased one acre of vineyard land from one of her clients as a hobby endeavor. Quickly, she realized that this was more than a hobby, and transitioned her work in the vineyard to a full-time reality of building a winery. In order to build Tenuta Scerscé into what it is today, Scarpellini hired Attilio Pagli, one of Italy’s most respected winemakers as a partner and together they oversee all aspects of winemaking.
“Wine has been produced in the Valtellina for over 2,000 years, but the region is still widely unknown. Vineyards are precious and few and little wine makes it out of Lombardy, much less all the way to the States. It’s a privilege to share these beautiful Alpine expressions of Nebbiolo with our customers,” says Dalla Terra founder Brian Larky. “We are proud and excited to diversify the Dalla Terra portfolio and represent Tenuta Scerscé, one of the key producers leading the movement for broader recognition of these incredibly special wines from one of Italy’s most interesting winegrowing regions, on a global scale.”
About Dalla Terra Winery Direct®
Founded in 1990, Dalla Terra Winery Direct® is a direct importer and national agent of a select group of leading, family-owned, estate wineries in Italy. The name Dalla Terra translates from Italian to mean of the earth and represents a commitment to work alongside estates that have achieved reputations for top quality production in their respective regions or appellations. The wines they produce are authentic, indigenous and characterful, while embracing progressive viticulture and winemaking.
Dalla Terra’s ability to adapt to an ever-changing marketplace is due to its highly curated portfolio and innovative business model. By limiting its portfolio, and partnering with only the highest quality producers, Dalla Terra ensures that its portfolio will be a comprehensive source of remarkable Italian wines. The quality of the portfolio is complemented by Dalla Terra Winery Direct’s business model which guarantees value by circumventing the traditional national importer expense of the three-tier system and enables their distributor partners to buy directly from each producer. This results in a competitive price advantage and greater value to the consumer for some of the most iconic and significant producers in Italian wine.
