Balgera

Chiuro, Valtellina, Lombardia

Balgera is a boutique winery located in Chiuro, one of the wine growing villages of Valtellina area, in the region of Lombardia. The Valtellina is a very small wine-producing region (3 million bottles total annual production) in the mountains north of Milan, just south of the Alps that borders Switzerland. The winery has a wine history dated back to 1885 when Pietro Balgera started the winery.

Today, Paolo Balgera is the 4th generation wine maker. He took over in 1983, being only 20 years old. The winery offers classic old world styled highly fragrant Valtellina wines, made from the Chiavennasca variety, also known as Nebbiolo in Piedmont region. Valtellina is a vast mountainous area including few sub-zones. Balgera offers wines from these sub-zones, namely: Sassella, Grumello, Inferno and Valgella. These Valtellina Superiore wines have achieved DOCG status.

A special wine called Sforzato is made from dried grapes. This is the region's acclaimed red wine of the highest quality. This wine is elevated to DOCG status in 2001.The vineyards are cultivated on terracing, which are south facing. While protected from cold winds, they allow micro climate within valley for perfect ripening of grapes.