Nino Negri 3000

The Chiuro foundation

Nino Negri 3000 grew out of the work of Casa vitivinicola Nino Negri in Chiuro, in the heart of Valtellina. For more than a century, the Chiuro winery has transformed Nebbiolo from the valley's historic terraced vineyards. Its approach combines tradition and innovation across the sequence from vineyard to bottle.

2016: the high-altitude project

The Nino Negri 3000 project took shape in 2016. A total project batch of 3,000 magnums was produced from two 2016 wines representing the winery and mountain viticulture: Vigna Fracia Valtellina Superiore DOCG Valgella and Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG Carlo Negri, also presented as Sfursat Valtellina DOCG.

The two Nebbiolo expressions followed different production paths. Vigna Fracia was made through classic red-wine vinification, while Carlo Negri Sfursat began with appassimento, the drying of harvested grapes to concentrate them before vinification.

From the valley to the summits

The wines first spent several years maturing in the Chiuro cellars at 300 metres above sea level: initially in barrels and subsequently in bottle. The bottled magnums were then transported from the valley to two high-altitude cellars constructed against the rock. Vigna Fracia went to Heaven 3000 above Bormio, while Carlo Negri Sfursat went to Carosello 3000 above Livigno.

This second stage placed the wines at approximately 3,000 metres, amid lower temperatures, rarefied air and substantial temperature variations. Reduced oxygen and cooler conditions slow development, allowing maturation to proceed more gradually. The intended effects are greater freshness, harmony and longevity, together with expressions not obtained through maturation in the valley alone.

2026: return from the summit

In 2026, following ten years of total maturation, the project wines were scheduled to leave the summit for their first public presentation and tasting. Of the original project batch, 2,600 numbered magnums were made available for pre-order. Each numbered bottle was finished with an embossed project label and presented in a wooden case.

Valtellina and Chiuro

The project begins in Valtellina, where Nebbiolo—locally identified as Chiavennasca—is grown on historic terraced vineyards supported by dry-stone walls. The wines undergo their initial maturation in Chiuro at 300 metres above sea level before moving to the Alpine summits.

Vigna Fracia and Valgella

Vigna Fracia lies in the historic Valgella area at elevations of 380–500 metres, on slopes of 55–65%. It is among the coldest vineyards in the valley. Its cool microclimate lengthens Nebbiolo's vegetative cycle.

The vineyard's bedrock is schist formed from rocks transformed at great depth and later brought to the surface during the formation of the Alps. At Vigna Fracia, this schist is blue and fractures readily. The broad terraces have accumulated a soil composed principally of sand, gravel and silt.

Vineyards for Carlo Negri Sfursat

The Nebbiolo for Carlo Negri Sfursat comes from vineyards between 300 and 550 metres above sea level. Their shallow, low-fertility sandy-loam soils are held in place by dry-stone walls.

The summit environment

The final maturation takes place at approximately 3,000 metres, among rocky Alpine walls. The high-altitude environment combines cooler temperatures with rarefied, lower-oxygen air. At Carosello 3000 above Livigno, pronounced temperature fluctuations are another defining condition. Together these factors slow the wines' development in bottle and are used to pursue freshness, harmony, structure and longevity.

Nebbiolo is cultivated on Valtellina's historic terraces, including steep sites supported by dry-stone walls. Vigna Fracia has gradients of 55–65%, while the source vineyards for Carlo Negri Sfursat extend from 300 to 550 metres above sea level.

For the 2016 Carlo Negri Sfursat project lot, harvest began in late September. The grapes were picked by hand and placed in 4.5 kg crates for transfer to the fruttaio. No broader farming system or vineyard certification is identified for the project.

Two Nebbiolo pathways

The project juxtaposes two forms of Nebbiolo production. Vigna Fracia follows classic red-wine vinification. Carlo Negri Sfursat follows the Valtellina appassimento tradition: grapes harvested by hand from late September were placed in 4.5 kg crates and air-dried in a fruttaio, losing approximately 30% of their weight before vinification in January.

Initial maturation in Chiuro

Both 2016 wines spent several years in the Chiuro cellars at 300 metres above sea level. The sequence comprised maturation in barrels followed by maturation in bottle. The project wines were bottled exclusively in magnum format.

High-altitude bottle maturation

After their period in Chiuro, the bottled magnums were transported to dedicated mountain cellars at approximately 3,000 metres. Vigna Fracia was placed in the Heaven 3000 cellar above Bormio; Carlo Negri Sfursat was placed in the Carosello 3000 cellar above Livigno.

Reduced oxygen and cooler temperatures at altitude slow maturation and the progression of ageing. The environment is intended to permit gradual evolution while supporting freshness, harmony and longevity. Carosello 3000 additionally exposes the Sfursat magnums to pronounced temperature fluctuations and rarefied air. After ten years of total maturation, the wines were prepared for their first public presentation in 2026.