A fertile valley producing quality wine

My favourite wine from the Bergamo region is Valcalepio Bianco, a light, dry white wine with a delicate fragrance. It is on the wine lists of many restaurants in Bergamo and the surrounding area and is usually one of the least expensive, which makes it taste even better.
The slight hint of violets lifts it above other Italian dry white wines, but it has to be enjoyed in Bergamo and the surrounding area as you don’t tend to find it in on sale in Britain and further afield.
Valcalepio is produced in the small valley between Bergamo and Lago Iseo. Driving out to Lago Iseo from Bergamo you will see the grapes growing on the vines. The land is fertile and because the climate is mild the conditions are ideal for growing grapes.
Valcalepio Bianco has a straw yellow colour and although it is dry it has a complex scent. It is the perfect wine to complement antipasti and fish dishes.
Valcalepio Rosso is ruby red, tastes dry and soft and has an intense scent. It is placed on sale every year from 1 November after six months’ refinement in wooden casks. It is the perfect accompaniment for red meat dishes, game and polenta and goes well with local cheeses such as Taleggio.
There is also a dessert wine, Valcalepio Moscato Passito, which is one of the few Italian sweet wines made from red grapes. It is ruby red with an orange tinge and has a hint of spice. It is perfect with dolce at the end of a meal. Salute!