Barbacàn is Angelo Sega and his sons Luca and Matteo. This diminutive winery is a unique artisanal antiestablishment in the heart of the Alps, an extraordinary chain of mountains in northern Italy. On these peaks, with vertiginous inclines and steep terrain, their work can be summed up in one word- heroic. 

They grow and collect Nebbiolo, Chiavennesca, as the locals call it, from their 7 hectares of vineyards in San Giacomo di Teglio in Valtellina on the border of Switzerland in the Italian Alps.  The Sega men are grower-producers, the vanguard of Valgella, and they have a passion stronger than the mountains they work in.  It is not accessible land to work, nor does the climate assist.  Steeply terraced vineyards 450+ meters above sea level involve tremendous amounts of hard, back-breaking work to obtain and maintain 'heroic viticulture' as the Italians call it. Their strength, passion, and hard work are evident from the vineyard to the bottle. 

The wines are the most honest imaginable, respecting the terroir and vintages. At Barbacàn, neither chemicals nor industrial yeasts are used, and no fining or filtering of wines, with tremendous attention to every detail (one must when there are minimal interventions in the cellar), delivering phenomenal wines of finesse, flavor, and elegance.

“We are farmers in the Alps; we preserve the pluralism of our ancient native vines and the cultural identity of traditional agronomic practices. In our wine, we express the vintages with their oddities and balances, always different and unpredictable. Every season, we repeat ancient gestures, carrying on the identity of an Alpine people that has always been linked to the cultivation of Chiavennasca.”

All this equals one of the very few 100% natural winemakers in Valtellina who are now certified organic by Valoritalia.

“Fourteen hundred man hours per hectare
are required every year to maintain our vineyard plots.
This is about ten times more than in Barbera and Barbaresco.”
-Matteo Sega

Who:
Angelo Sega and his sons Luca and Matteo

Where:
S.Giacomo di Teglio, Sondrio Valtellina • Lombardy, Italy

Founded:
2010 with family-established vineyards

Orientation: Southern

Land:
7 hectares, 450 -600 meters above sea level

Average age of the vines: 30 years

Soil:
Sandy granitic material and some silt

Training System: Guyot

Grapes:
Nebbiolo, Rossola, Pignola, Brugnola, Negrera, Rossolino Rosa and Chiavennaschino

Appellation:
Rosso di Valtellina DOC + Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG

Viticulture: Organic, Natural

Harvest: By hand

Annual Production:
20,000 bottles 

ABOUT THE Valtellina Rosso / Rosso di Valtellina DOC

History: Established as a DOC in 1968; Valtellina Superiore and Sforzato (Sfursat) di Valtellina became separate DOCGs in 1998 and 2003, respectively

Vineyard Area: 33 ha / 82 acres (2018)

Production: 4,750 hl / 52,780 cases (2018)

Principal Red Grape Varieties:Nebbiolo. Rosso (Rd): Minimum 90% Nebbiolo (locally Chiavennasca) + OANRG

IT’S THE LAW

• Maximum vineyard elevation: 600 m (1,970 ft) on the left bank of the Adda River; 700 m (2,300 ft) on the right bank

• Minimum alcohol level: 11.0%

• Aging: Minimum 6 months (ERD = June 1, V+1)

M E D I A

Bright and straightforward, this has aromas of red berry, espresso, anise, and a whiff of Alpine herb. The taut palate shows sour cherry and white pepper set against a backbone of firm acidity and tightly wound tannins.

(2014)

-KERIN O’KEEFE, Wine Enthusiast

ABOUT THE Valtellina Superiore DOCG

Region: Lombardia
History: Established as a DOC in 1968; became a DOCG in 1998
Vineyard Area: 258 ha / 637 acres (2018)
Production: 13,200 hl / 146,700 cases (2018
Principal Red Grape Varieties: Nebbiolo

• Rosso (Rd): Minimum 90% Nebbiolo (locally Chiavennasca) + OANRG

• Riserva (Rosso)

Subzones: Grumello, Inferno, Maroggia, Sassella, Valgella

IT’S THE LAW

Minimum alcohol level: 12.0%

• Aging: For Superiore, minimum 2 years, including 12 months in barrel (ERD = December 1, V+2); for Riserva, minimum 3 years (ERD = December 1, V+3)

Barbacan | ‘Pizaméj’

Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG

The palate is warm and elegant, with smooth textured tannins
and admirable acidity. It has a long and harmonious finish.

GRAPE: 90% Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca) with Rossola and Pignola old vines (100 years)
POSITION: South-east-facing slope, 60 meters vertical. The vineyard is just .4 hectares.
APPELLATION: Valtellina Superiore Valgella / Comune: S. Giacomo di Teglio
VINIFICATION: Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel tanks and maceration for 90 days. Without filtrations
AGING: 12 months in big Austrian oak barrels

Valtellina Superiore “Pizaméj” is a complex and savory red wine, yielded from a specific vineyard area- respectfully a Cru. It is aged for one year in Austrian oak barrels. It deeply communicates the properties of the terroir with bouquets of red fruits and flowers, cinnamon, leather, and clean tobacco. The taste is sophisticated, fresh, energic, and delicious.

YEAST: Spontaneous fermentation

BOTTLE SIZE: 750 ml
PACK: 12
CLOSURE: Cork
ALC: 13.5 % Vol
LONGEVITY: 10+ years
BAR CODE:

Barbacan | ‘Livél’

Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG

refining for three years in large barrels,
followed by refining in the bottle for two years

APPELLATION: Valtellina Superiore Valgella / Comune: S. Giacomo di Teglio
GRAPE: Chiavennasca 90%, Rossola Nera 5%, Pignolo 5%
VINEYARD ALTITUDE: 550-600 m asl (south exposure)
YEAST: Spontaneous fermentation

From Cru vineyard Livél, planted in the 1920s by Matteo's grandfather in the outer part of the Valgella sub-zone in Valtellina. The vineyard is 550 meters above sea level on steep terraced slopes with a high proportion of sand and slate, rich in gneiss, granite, and quartz—characteristics: Deep red, youthful color. The complex scent of minerals, red and dark berries, flowers, fresh herbs, and forest floor linger in the glass. Tight yet with beautiful texture of red and dark fruit, delicate with a long firm finish. Great mature tannins that sit well. It is a fantastic wine for beef and lamb, hearty pasta, good Italian pizza, veal, and game.

Production: Hand-harvested in baskets carried down on their backs due to the steep terrain.
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation without sulfur, extended maceration, refining for three years in large barrels, and then refining in the bottle for two years.

local Nebbiolo biotype = Chiavennasca
(pronounced “key-avennasca”)

BOTTLE SIZE: 750 ml
PACK: 6
CLOSURE: Cork
ALC: 13.5 % Vol
LONGEVITY: 10+ years
BAR CODE:

Barbacan | ‘Sforzato’

Valtellina DOCG 

“Sforzato” is an Italian word meaning strained." The sforzato method is the Valtellina region’s version of the appassimento method, comparable to Amarone, which involves spreading harvested grapes on straw mats to dry for several months.

GRAPE: Chiavennasca(Nebbiolo) 90%, Chiavennaschino 10%
APPELLATION: Valtellina
VINEYARD ALTITUDE: 550-600 m asl (south exposure) sandy, schistose soil
YEAST: Spontaneous fermentation
APPASSIMENTO: natural, without mechanical forcing in the drying room for at least two months.

VINIFICATION: Spontaneous fermentation without sulfur, long maceration, aging 18 months in large barrels and 12 months in bottles.
This red wine is a powerful expression with a ton of finesse and sensitivity.

*Allocation solely

BOTTLE SIZE: 750 ml
PACK: 12
CLOSURE: Cork
ALC: 15 % Vol
LONGEVITY:12+ years
BAR CODE:

Barbacan | ‘Rosato’

IGT Alpi Retiche

This delicious rose is a blend of grapes from various
historical vineyards situated between 600 and 750 meters a.s.l.,
south exposure. Exceptionally delicate pressing,
one night with skin contact, indigenous yeast.

APPELLATION: Valtellina
GRAPE: Chiavennasca with a blend of local favorites: Róssola, Rossolino Rosa, Brugnòla, Chiavennaschino, Pignòla, and Negrera.
VINEYARD ALTITUDE: 600 and 750 m asl (south exposure) sandy, schistose soil
YEAST: Spontaneous fermentation.

Made of Chiavennasca (local Nebbiolo) with a part of other vines such as Róssola, Rossolino Rosa, Brugnòla, Chiavennaschino, Pignòla, and Negrera. The average age of the vines is 40 years. This delicious rose is a blend of grapes from various historical vineyards situated between 600 and 750 meters a.s.l., south exposure: exceptionally delicate pressing, one night with skin contact, indigenous yeast.

Aging is in concrete tanks. Barbacan made this Rosato out of love for their land and a passion for rescuing old vines of ancient local varieties that were erroneously forsaken and threatened to be forgotten. The elegance of Nebbiolo and the authenticity of the additional fruit form a flawless marriage that communicates the terroir.

*Allocation solely

BOTTLE SIZE: 750 ml
PACK: 12
CLOSURE: Cork
ALC: 13 % Vol
LONGEVITY: 3-5 years
BAR CODE:

Via S. Giacomo per Carona, 26,

23036 San Giacomo SO, Italy

 BARBACAN.IT