Italian Wine Regions
Valle d'Aosta
The Aosta Valley
Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) is located in the Alps, bordered by France to the west and Switzerland to the north. It is the smallest region in Italy with a population less than 130.000. The Capital is Aosta.
Italian and French are both official languages, but the population also speak the local dialect Valdôtain.
Valle d'Aosta is surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the Alps, including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
The region's vineyards are situated at varying altitudes, taking advantage of diverse microclimates. The Alpine climate influences the vineyards, with cool temperatures and significant temperature variations.
Photo by Photo by Beka Ichkiti
The wine regions in Valle d'Aosta are often associated with a valley. Notable areas are:
Valle Centrale
This central valley is home to a variety of vineyards and produces a range of wines, both red and white.
Valle del Gran San Bernardo
Known for its higher-altitude vineyards, this area produces wines with pronounced acidity and minerality.
Valle d'Aosta is known for producing wines that reflect the alpine terroir.
The white wines are often crisp, with bright acidity and floral or fruity aromas.
The red are complex, with good structure and a good balance of fruit and earthy notes.
The wines of Valle d'Aosta pair well with the region's hearty and flavorful cuisine. Local specialties such as Fontina cheese, cured meats, and dishes featuring game meat are common in the Aosta Valley, and the wines complement these robust flavors.
Wine Region Valle d'Aosta
Climate
Aosta valley has a continental climate and despite the location in the Alps, the area is very hot and dry in the summer (harvesttime is early September).
The vineyards are located in high, steep slopes down to the river valley. The use of mechanical vineyard equipment is almost impossible. Most of the vineyards are buit on terraces for ease of accessibility.
Because of high diurnal temperature ranges, the vines are often trained into pergolas to distribute ground heat to the vines in cold nights.
Soil
The vineyard soils are composed primarily of sand at the higher elevation with more alluvial sediments of clay and gravel further down in the valley.
Black Grapes |
White Grapes |
20% Petit Rouge |
10% Petite Arvine |
Red Wines |
White Wines |
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History
Valle d'Aosta was established as a DOC in 1986.
The most interesting wines are:
- Prié Blanc based white wines from the heights of Morgex et La Salle (altitude 1300 meter)
- Petit Rouge based red wines from Valle Centrale, Chambave to Enfer d’Arvier (altitude 700 meter)
- Picotendro (Nebbiolo) based red wines from Arnad-Montjovet and Donnas (altitude 400 meter)
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