The New Wave & the Ancient Terraces

The story of Colombo Sormani begins in 2019, in the historic town of Chiuro, in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy — a small village nestled in the heart of the Valtellina valley, where the Alps rise steeply on both sides and the vineyards cling to the mountainside in a series of terraces that have been cultivated for over a thousand years. Valtellina is one of Italy's most extreme and beautiful wine regions — a long, narrow valley stretching from near Lake Como in the northwest to near Bormio in the northeast, bordered by Switzerland and the Rhaetian Alps. The work is backbreaking, the yields are low, and the risks are high — frost, hail, landslides, and the sheer physical difficulty of farming on slopes that can exceed 45 degrees. But for those who are called to this land, there is no other place that offers the same combination of challenge, beauty, and the possibility of producing wines of extraordinary character and authenticity.

Lorenzo Colombo and Andrea Sormani are the founders and driving force of the estate — two friends, both born in 1979, who share a passion for wine, a love of the mountain, and a belief that Valtellina's future lies in the hands of a new generation of vigneron who are willing to return to the land and do the hard work that mountain viticulture demands. Lorenzo embodies the new wave of winemakers who are slowly returning to the land, giving new lifeblood to the Valtellina wine scene — a generation that is not content to let the old traditions fade, but that seeks to revitalize them with fresh energy, modern sensibility, and a deep respect for the environment. Andrea brings his own skills and vision to the partnership, creating a team that is balanced, complementary, and united by a shared dream: to make wines that are honest, natural, and deeply expressive of the Valtellina terroir.

The winery is located in a house from the 1600s in Chiuro — a building that has witnessed centuries of Valtellina history, from the Renaissance to the present day, and that now serves as the cellar, the office, and the heart of the estate. The vineyards are spread across four municipalities: Chiuro, Sondrio, Castione Andevenno, and Ponte in Valtellina — each with its own microclimate, soil composition, and exposure, but all sharing the same essential characteristics: steep, terraced slopes, dry stone walls, and the need for complete manual labor. The estate started with 3,000 square meters of vineyard — a modest beginning that reflects the artisanal, hands-on nature of the project and the commitment to quality over quantity. From the beginning, the goal has been clear: to make wine in the most natural way possible, with organic farming, indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfur, and a deep respect for the grape, the terrace, and the stone.

Today, Colombo Sormani is one of the most exciting young producers in Valtellina — a small estate that punches far above its weight in terms of quality, character, and commitment to natural wine principles. Lorenzo and Andrea are part of a growing movement of young vigneron who are revitalizing the Valtellina wine scene, bringing new ideas and energy to a region that has sometimes been seen as traditional and conservative. Their wines are listed by Ferdy Wild, Enotic, Winedering, Vignaioli Contrari, Slow Wine Fair, and a growing network of natural wine retailers who appreciate their authenticity, their mountain-fresh character, and the genuine pleasure of wines made by hand on vertiginous slopes. The estate is a testament to the power of friendship, the beauty of the mountain, and the enduring magic of wines that are made with care, conviction, and a deep love of the land.

At Colombo Sormani, the cellar philosophy is one of naturalness, purity, and a deep respect for the mountain — combined with a modern sensibility that sets the estate apart from more traditional Valtellina producers. Lorenzo and Andrea's approach is guided by a simple principle: let the grapes speak, let the vintage dictate, and intervene only when necessary to guide the wine toward its natural expression. Fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts — the wild yeasts that live on the grape skins and in the cellar, carrying the microbial fingerprint of the vineyard and the vintage. This is not always the easiest path: indigenous fermentations can be slow, unpredictable, and risky. But Lorenzo and Andrea believe that the complexity, authenticity, and sense of place that indigenous yeasts bring to the wine are worth the extra effort and vigilance. The fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks — clean, neutral vessels that allow the primary fruit and the natural acidity of the Nebbiolo to shine without the influence of wood or oxidation.

Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, transforming the sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid and giving the wines a rounder, more approachable texture. This is not forced or induced with commercial bacteria; it happens spontaneously, when the temperature and conditions are right, reflecting the natural rhythms of the wine and the season. Sulfur is used at very low levels, only as needed to ensure stability and prevent oxidation — a pragmatic approach that balances the desire for completely sulfur-free wine with the need to protect the wine during its journey from the mountain to the glass. The wines are not filtered or fined, maintaining the integrity of the fruit, the texture of the yeast lees, and the living, evolving character that defines natural wine. The result is a portfolio of wines that is unmistakably Valtellina but also unmistakably Colombo Sormani: fresh, pure, alive, and deeply connected to the heroic terraces, the dry stone walls, and the ancient agricultural traditions of the Alps.

"Sassella" — The Nebbiolo of the Stones: The Sassella is Colombo Sormani's flagship wine — a Valtellina Superiore DOCG made from Nebbiolo Chiavennasca grapes grown on the steep, terraced slopes of the Valtellina Superiore zone, one of the five subzones that define the highest quality level of Valtellina wine. Sassella is named after the village of Sondrio, where the vineyard is located, and it is historically considered one of the finest terroirs in the valley — a site of steep, south-facing terraces with sandy, rock-strewn soils that produce wines of remarkable concentration, elegance, and ageing potential. Lorenzo and Andrea's Sassella is fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, with malolactic fermentation occurring naturally, and aged in steel or neutral vessels to preserve the primary fruit and the mountain-fresh character of the Nebbiolo. In the glass, it is garnet with brick-orange reflections. The nose offers rose petal, tar, wild cherry, Alpine herbs, and a distinct mineral, rocky note from the glacial soils. The palate is medium-bodied, with firm but refined tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savoury, mineral finish. It is a wine of patience and place — the product of heroic manual labor, of century-old vines, of dry stone walls, and of a vigneron who believes that the mountain should speak through the wine. Serve at 16–18°C. Age 5–10 years for optimal development. ~€25–€35 / ~$28–$40.

"Puntesel" — The Nebbiolo of the Ancient Vines: The Puntesel is Colombo Sormani's most distinctive and characterful wine — a Valtellina Superiore DOCG made from Nebbiolo Chiavennasca grapes grown in the frazione of Balzarro, in the municipality of Castione Andevenno, from vines planted at the beginning of the 1900s. The name "Puntesel" refers to the specific vineyard site — a steep, terraced parcel that has been cultivated for over a century and that produces some of the most concentrated, complex, and mineral-driven Nebbiolo in all of Valtellina. These ancient vines, nearly 120 years old, produce tiny quantities of grapes with extraordinary depth and intensity — grapes that demand careful handling, gentle extraction, and patient ageing to achieve their full potential. Lorenzo and Andrea's Puntesel is fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, with a relatively long maceration period that extracts color, tannin, and phenolic complexity from the thick-skinned Chiavennasca berries. The wine is then aged in steel or neutral vessels, preserving the primary fruit and the wild, untamed character that defines this exceptional site. In the glass, it is deep garnet with amber reflections. The nose offers black cherry, plum, dried herbs, earth, tar, and a complex array of mineral and spice notes. The palate is full-bodied, with powerful but refined tannins, vibrant acidity, and an extraordinarily long, savoury, mineral finish. It is a wine of occasion and contemplation — the mountain in its most concentrated, most profound expression. Serve at 18°C. Age 10–20 years. ~€35–€50 / ~$40–$55.

"Valtellina Superiore" — The Mountain in a Bottle: In addition to the single-vineyard Sassella and Puntesel, Colombo Sormani produces a Valtellina Superiore DOCG that blends grapes from their various vineyard parcels across the four municipalities — Chiuro, Sondrio, Castione Andevenno, and Ponte in Valtellina — creating a wine that captures the breadth and diversity of the Valtellina terroir in a single bottle. This is not a lesser wine than the single-vineyard expressions; it is a different wine — one that emphasizes balance, harmony, and the complementary characteristics of different sites rather than the intense, focussed expression of a single parcel. The grapes are hand-harvested from each vineyard, fermented separately with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, and then blended before bottling to create a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. In the glass, it is bright ruby with garnet reflections. The nose offers red cherry, wild strawberry, rose petal, and a distinct mineral, earthy note. The palate is medium-bodied, with firm tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savoury, mineral finish. It is a wine of both immediate pleasure and ageing potential — a wine that can be enjoyed young for its freshness and fruit, or cellared for 5–10 years to develop complexity and nuance. Serve at 16–18°C. ~€18–€28 / ~$20–$32.

"Rosso di Valtellina" — The Fresher Side of the Mountain: The Rosso di Valtellina is Colombo Sormani's more immediate, approachable expression of Nebbiolo — a DOC wine made from younger vines and earlier-picked grapes, designed to be enjoyed in its youth when its freshness, fruit, and vibrant acidity are at their peak. The name "Rosso di Valtellina" distinguishes it from the more structured, age-worthy Superiore wines, signaling a wine that is lighter, more playful, and more suited to casual drinking and everyday meals. The grapes come from the younger vineyards in Chiuro and Ponte in Valtellina, hand-harvested at optimal maturity and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel. The maceration period is shorter than for the Superiore wines, extracting less tannin and creating a wine that is softer, more approachable, and ready to drink sooner. In the glass, it is bright ruby with purple reflections. The nose offers fresh cherry, wild strawberry, rose petal, and a hint of Alpine herbs. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with gentle tannins, crisp acidity, and a long, refreshing, mineral finish. It is a wine of conviviality — the perfect companion to a casual meal, a plate of pizzoccheri (the traditional Valtellina buckwheat pasta), or an evening with friends. Serve slightly chilled at 14–16°C. Drink within 2–5 years. ~€15–€22 / ~$17–$25.

Vessels & Ageing: Colombo Sormani works almost exclusively with stainless steel tanks for fermentation and ageing — vessels chosen for their neutrality, their ease of cleaning, and their ability to produce wines that are fresh, pure, and expressive of primary fruit and terroir without the influence of wood or oxidation. There is no oak, no barriques, no amphorae — just clean, simple steel that allows the grapes and the vintage to speak. The ageing periods are relatively brief, reflecting the estate's philosophy that these are wines meant to be enjoyed in their youth and middle age, when their freshness, fruit, and mountain character are at their peak. The result is a portfolio that is unmistakably Colombo Sormani: natural, minimal-intervention, fresh, and deeply connected to the heroic terraces, the dry stone walls, and the ancient agricultural traditions of Valtellina.