Biography
It was Domenico Triacca who, in long-ago 1897, founded the winery at Campascio in the Val Poschiavo in Switzerland. Switzerland, to be sure, but only by a few hundred yards, the part bordering on Tirano in the completely Italian Valtellina, the valley where, for centuries, the inhabitants produce wines which Leonardo da Vinci defined as “very potent”. 111 years later, it is another Domenico Triacca, grandson of the founder, who has known how to expand the firm and make it an important symbol of the Valtellina, owner of close to 115 acres of vineyards. To tell the truth, this might seem a modest property, but in the Valtellina, where property is divided into small parcels on steep hills, this large a vineyard surface is quite unusual. In the Valtellina you need more than the ability of the producer and the experience of the cellar master, you need courage as well, the courage to cultivate vineyards in extreme working conditions. Here the vineyards cling to the southern slopes of the Rhaetic Alps and, to cultivate a few acres of vineyards is far more demanding than cultivating it on a hillside in terms of toil and expense. The effort of cultivating the Chiavennasca (the local name for Nebbiolo) grape is repaid by wines of exceptional character, with the aromas and flavors of the mountains. Over the course of time, Triacca has acquired La Gatta, a former Dominican monastery subsequently transformed into the residence of a noble family. La Gatta lies in a spectacular amphitheater of close to 33 acres, vineyards which have been modernized in recent times with the planting of selected clones of Chiavennasca which assure constant quality over time. The other Triacca vineyards are located in the highly thought of crus of Sassella and Valgella, both historic sub-zones of the Valtellina appellation. In addition to the historic aging cellars at La Gatta, which houses the barriques, Triacca also owns a modern cellar, perfectly equipped, where he can ferment with maximum care and attention. The top wines of the range are La Gatta, a Valtellina rich and of vibrant intensity, and San Domenico, a Sfurzat (made from dried grapes) of exceptional concentration. The same passion for viticulture is shown in the other two estates in Tuscany: La Madonnina in Chianti Classico and Santa Venere at Montepulciano.