A sad week in the Valtellina...

[Botafogo]

In less than two weeks, two towering presences in the tiny wine valley of the Valtellina (on the Swiss border of northern Italy) have died:

Arturo Pellizatti of the quirkily named AR.PE.PE (his initials which he was forced to use after the previous generation of his family sold their family name as a trademark to Nino Negri) rightly famous for producing poetic, mystical, ethereal wines aged for decades before release.

Conte Cesare Sertoli Salis, my dearest and oldest friend amongst Italia producers and the classiest guy I have ever met, famous worldwide as the never tiring ambassador for not just his wines (including the stellar Canua Sforzato) but the entire zona. He was a real count living in a 16th century pallazo yet the humblest, kindest person you could ever know. He loved all things of beauty: art, music, women, wine, cars, nature and, especially, his beloved Valtellina...

I think Foodie probably knew Cesare and several of you have had his wines from our store. Verne, if you have any of that Sforzato left, crack a bottle and drink to the memory of a truly great man....


Roberto

[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 02-22-2005).]