Up here wine growing is hard work. Before terracing, there were estimations of 1,500 man hours required to work one hectare. These were hardwon and expensive grapes. Indeed, Marsetti himself calls it "viticoltura eroica," heroic viticulture. And so the vines too must struggle in the sub-alpine climate.
           The mountainous terrain yields little topsoil. In fact the topsoil on the slopes and terraces can be very shallow, often less than a half a meter in depth. Formed from the eroding valley side, this pulverized, glacial soil is rich with sand and gravel. It is fast-draining as well. Because of this, the root systems of the Chiavennasca grape must extend down and search for nutrients and water, sometimes encountering bed rock. The spindling fibers of the vine must then "run" along a shear face of living granite, which lays beneath a superficial covering of topsoil.
           Alberto Marsetti is located in the historic center of Sondrio in the Valtellina region of Italy. He is the sixth generation in the Marsetti family to own and operate the vineyards and winery. Though his focus is on Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo, totaling 5.5 hectares), Marsetti also has modest parcels planted to "Brugnola, Rossola e Pignola" used in the DOC Rosso Valtellina. These three varietals cover about 1 hectare of land and are located in the neighboring towns of Chiuro and Berbenno. The wines are terroir driven and show the aromaticcomplexity, articulated structure and correct, lean bodyweight of Nebbiolo.