Wines of Valle d'Aosta: Chambave and Nus
- Ipek Leni Candan
- Aug 4, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 27, 2024
Valle d’Aosta, the land of heroic viticulture, is one of Italy’s lesser-known wine regions that’s home to an astonishing number of indigenous varieties that you won’t find elsewhere. The single Valle d'Aosta (Vallée d'Aoste) DOC covers seven area sub-denominations. In this series, we look at each of these seven sub-regions, starting with Chambave and Nus. You can find a general overview of Valle d’Aosta wines in our first article. We have also done deep dives into the Torrette sub-region, the grape varieties of Fumin and Petite Arvine, and the Morgex et La Salle region.
Chambave and Nus
Most vines in Chambave and Nus are Guyot or cordon-trained. The pergola, once widespread, is today almost absent, with the exception of some old vineyards. This is the driest area of the valley with annual rainfall of less than 500mm, dropping to under 90mm in the period between June and September. Therefore, drought is a big issue and irrigation is widely practised. The majority of the vineyards (90%) are south-facing, with altitudes ranging from 450m to 800m and slopes that average between 20% and 35% in gradient.
The Chambave area is renowned for Moscato Bianco, while the nearby Nus area is known for Pinot Gris, locally referred to as Malvoisie. The cultivation of these vines dates back to ancient times, as evidenced by documents from the 1300s and 1400s.
Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) is vinified both as a dry aromatic white wine and as a sweet wine using the appassimento method, where the grapes are picked and then dried. These sweet wines can be labelled Chambave Muscat Flétri or Chambave Moscato Passito.
In addition to these, the region is home to various native varieties, including Petit Rouge, Vien de Nus, Cornalin, and Fumin, along with numerous international varieties such as Syrah, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Petite Arvine, and Müller Thurgau, both white and red, spread throughout the central valley.
La Crotta di Vegneron
La Crotta di Vegneron is a cooperative that collaborates with 53 family growers to produce approximately 200,000 bottles from 25 hectares of vineyards. The wines are crafted from grapes grown in the surrounding communes of Chambave and Nus. During our visit, we tasted 11 wines, including six from their premium Mines, La Griffe, Quatremillemètres, and Passito ranges. All of these premium wines showcased impressive quality.
For those seeking a good value sparkling wine, we were particularly impressed by the 4478 Nobleffervescence sparkling rosé. This delicate traditional method sparkling wine is made from Pinot Noir grapes grown at an altitude of 800m in nearby Saint Denis, and aged on the lees for 24 months. It offers gentle biscuit aromas followed by notes of strawberry, cranberry, and cream.
Aromatic grape enthusiasts should not miss the 2022 Chambave Moscato from the Mines range. Its 12-month maturation process in the Cogne mines imparts a distinctive stony minerality, adding complexity to its orange blossom and white peach aromas. Equally noteworthy is the 2018 Fumin from the Mines range, which balances the grape’s signature spiciness and bold structure with refreshing pyrazine notes. Aged in the mines at an altitude of 2,000m, where conditions remain a consistent 5°C with 85% humidity in complete darkness and silence, these wines offer a unique character that sets them apart from their traditionally matured counterparts.
The 2019 Nus Malvoisie from the La Griffe range was intriguing, although its distinctive profile may divide opinions. This 100% Pinot Gris spent 12 months in oak barrels of varying sizes, resulting in pronounced aromas of oxidation and oak.
One of the standout wines of the day was the exceptional 2018 Fumin from the La Griffe range. Aged for 12 months in Austrian oak of varying sizes, the wine's strong tannins had begun to soften beautifully. While some prune and savoury notes had started to emerge, the wine clearly had a long life ahead. This was the best single-varietal Fumin we had tasted to date.
Another highlight was the 2021 Chambave Moscato Passito Prieuré. Made from grapes grown at altitudes between 450m and 680m, the grapes were picked and dried indoors for up to 70 days following the appassimento method. This is the signature wine of the Chambave commune which we had tried previously at nearby La Vrille, where we had fallen in love with the honey, dried mango and dried apricot aromas. Although the same notes were present here, the pronounced herbal aromas of thyme, sage and oregano added a distinctive alpine edge, pairing beautifully with the herby local cheeses.
Before leaving, we sampled a few of the entry-level wines. Priced around the 10-euro mark, the Nus and Chambave reds were excellent value for money, with the Nus showing some interesting development.
La Vrille
La Vrille is situated along the historic Via Francigena pilgrimage route at an altitude of 670m, offering a stunning view over Mont Avic and Mont Emilius. The vineyards are nestled in a natural amphitheatre and benefit from a south/southeast-facing aspect. Here, they cultivate Pinot Noir as well as native varieties such as Vuillermin, Petit Rouge, Cornalin, Fumin, and Chambave Muscat, the latter being vinified both as a dry wine and as a passito. Herbs like thyme are grown near the vines, subtly infusing the Muscat grapes with their aromas. Today, La Vrille produces around 18,000 bottles a year.
During our visit, we had the pleasure of sampling their full range of wines. One standout was the rare and nearly extinct Vuillermin variety, a wine with delicate red fruit notes that spent 12 months maturing in large oak barrels.
Another highlight was the 2017 Pinot Noir, with its pronounced violet and strawberry aromas. It was disheartening to learn that they had ceased production of this wine due to the Pinot Noir grapes frequently suffering from disease.
We concluded our tasting on a high note with the Chambave Muscat Flétri, which paired exquisitely with local tegole biscuits. Unlike La Crotta di Vegneron’s herbal version, this wine was dominated by almond and dried fruit aromas, making it a crowd-pleasing dessert wine and the finest passito we had encountered in the region thus far.
Next up in our Valle d’Aosta series, we will be looking at the Torrette sub-zone which covers Aosta city and the neighbouring Quart, Saint-Christophe, Charvensod, Gressan, Jovençan, Sarre, Aymavilles, Saint-Pierre, Villeneuve and Introd communes.
Other posts in the Wines of Valle d'Aosta series
Learn more about Valle d’Aosta wines
