2016 Ar.Pe.Pe Valtellina Superiore Riserva Grumello 'Buon Consiglio', Lombardy - 750ml

93 Points – James Suckling

AR.PE.PE. is one of the reference-point producers of Valtellina, working Nebbiolo—locally known as Chiavennasca—on the steep, terraced slopes of the Italian Alps. Buon Consiglio comes from the Grumello subzone, where the 2016 combines the transparency and fragrance of mountain-grown Nebbiolo with the depth of a Riserva given unusually patient maceration and élevage.

Blend: 100% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca).

Tasting Notes: Cherry and raspberry are joined by dried flowers, alpine herbs and mint, with notes of licorice, tobacco, smoke and wet stone developing with air. The palate is finely drawn and savory, with fresh red fruit, mineral tension and an increasingly saline quality carrying through the long finish.

Structure: Medium-bodied and remarkably poised, with vibrant acidity and fine, persistent tannins rather than sheer weight. Extended maceration and maturation in large-format wood give the wine depth and structural definition while preserving the delicacy and aromatic clarity characteristic of Alpine Nebbiolo.

Drink Window: Now–2034. The 2016 is already expressive and has entered an excellent drinking phase, but its freshness, tannic balance and traditional élevage suggest ample capacity for further development. Additional bottle age should bring more dried-floral, earthy and savory complexity.

Decanting: Give the wine approximately 30–45 minutes of gentle aeration if opening now. Serve around 58–62°F in a generous Burgundy or Nebbiolo glass; excessive warmth can obscure the freshness and mineral precision that distinguish the wine.

Buon Consiglio is a compelling choice for Nebbiolo drinkers interested in the variety beyond Barolo and Barbaresco, offering a distinctly Alpine expression built on fragrance, freshness and finesse. The mature but still energetic 2016 is particularly well suited to porcini, risotto, braised meats, game birds or aged mountain cheeses.