Castione della Presolana – Winter Fun Vacation in a little known Mountain Community

Castione della Presolana, the last town in the Upper Seriana Valley, owes its name in part to Mount Presolana which dominates over the area. The Castione basin and its outlying district of Bratto, Dorga and Cantoniera face each other in terrace-fashion along the road that leads up to Presolana Pass. The pass faces Adamello and serves as a divide between the Valle Seriana and the Valle di Scalve. Castione is a classic Bergamo winter resort and is also frequented during the summer due to its panoramic location and the fine hotels that have a long tradition of hospitality.


The ski lifts are located in the Cantoniera area toward the pass and in the south on Monte Pora. The slopes range from beginner to expert and the scenic view is captivating, as are the cross-country ski trails at 1600 meters. The slopes are not just limited to skiing. The wide trails permit snowboarding and sledding. The local operators also organize classes for all experience levels.

Rock and Mountain climbing are also big attractions with numerous groups organizing excursions in both the winter and summer months. For young climbers the local groups organize classes during the summer time for some spectacular climbs. Cycling is one of the most followed sports in the Bergamasca. The Presolana is no exception sponsoring international races riding over and through the 2,200 meter passes. Finally a new addition in the last 10 years is the appearance of top grade golf courses including both Italian and European competitions.

The Presolana is a destination, like many destinations in Italy, primarily known by the locals. The schools prepare fieldtrips and the older kids will make this a favorite weekend destination. The lack of notoriety does not mean that the snow is not great or the infrastructures are not adequate. Close by are the Springs of San Pellegrino, the water so famous here in the US. Spa treatments are available with a little planning and there are numerous B & B, Agriturismo and apartments for rent. I cannot suggest great lodging because I lived just a hop, skip and jump away but the people are friendly and down to earth. They could easily be your drinking buddies on a Saturday night.

This is a white winter vacation for those who want to stay away from the crowds and just enjoy a week in the snow. The food is fantastic, many of the local dishes are traditional Bergamasco so Polenta Taragna, Pizzoccheri with porcini mushrooms, Taleggio, Casoncelli, and wild Boar are just a few of the hearty dishes. Carnevale is celebrated with masks on the ski slopes including night parades with torches. Vin Brule’, dancing, live music and pastries are on tap just about all year round. Surely no one will write about this jewel of a small but for me it was a winter escape for many years.


Tags: Winter Vacations Presolana Bergamo Skiing Spa Mountain Climbing Travel Italy

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Valcalepio Rosso – Blue Collar Wine

The Valcalepio wine region runs east from Como, along the base of the Italian Alps, to the western border of Franciacorta, or the small mountain lake Iseo. I lived in this region for an extended period of time. At one time I was even considering the purchase of a small vineyard and 1700s country house located in the surrounding hills of Lake Iseo at about 600 meters. Bergamo is a hard land, with hard working people and the best “muratori”, brick masons, in Italy. They are known across Italy for their great experience and hardworking attitude and for being, let’s say, brash.


Bergamaschi are no nonsense, value is what you can eat or what covers your head. While tutoring young kids in my early days I was often the last chance for 14-15 year old kids to stay in school. If they did not show a sincere desire to get good grades they were either laying bricks, farming, or working in the manufacturing plants. Their wine is the same. Any given vineyard will have about a 50-50 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This area is subject to tremendous variations in the climate. It is right at the foot of the Alps, the evening breeze flowing out of the Alps during the hot summers was heavenly, but the temperature changes can be extreme.

The environment is not a problem for the great Bergamaschi del Valcalepio. They want a great table wine and more importantly a potent and sweet grappa. They do not need to make a $300 bottle of wine. They want a fantastic $5 bottle table wine to drink after an excruciating day of hard labor. This wine is not modified to be more marketable, the Bergamaschi couldn’t care less, so whatever the season produces is what goes into the wine. Valcalepio will be 25-60% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remaining Merlot. You could say this was the first designer wine. Valcalepio is not well known, even in Italy. Raffaella has never tasted it and her family is from an area only 40 km (28 miles) to the south.

I would be surprised to read a positive review by one of the “important wine people” when discussing Valcalepio. It is just not what they are looking for, although it has an ancient pedigree, it is not suave. Valcalepio is a table wine, variable from year to year, inexpensive, no big marketing campaigns, and the wine is usually produced in a shared winery. Many local farmers support a common infrastructure, bring in their grapes, produce their wine and then take it home. The winery’s infrastructure is then ready for the next farmer. Sometimes groups of farmers will pool their harvest and make a common batch of wine. Either way Valcalepio is just too common to be part of the big name producers.

This is our fortune. Lack of coverage keeps this wine genuine and inexpensive. Valcalepio is a perfect everyday table wine for the hearty dinners of Casoncelli, Maialino all’ Olio, Polenta Taragna, Luganiga, Salamelle and Taleggio, which are part of the Bergamasco lifestyle.

The ten day Sagra dell’uva of Trescore Balneario finished yesterday, the production of the wine has begun, and in just about 15 days the first Vino Novello will be available. Vino Novello is the new wine. It can be consumed until the first hard freeze and is stored in clay vats in the mountain farmhouses. Tradition serves Vino Novello in porcelain bowls on cool autumn nights.

My time in during the harvest was all too brief but it was enough to determine that this will be a good year for Valcalepio. The Vino Novello is worth a taste should you be in the area before December and the regular production will be bottled in March. If you can find a bottle it is an opportunity to try a genuine farmer’s wine, not the royalty of the wine industry, instead the wine of the working man.

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon 25-60% - remaining Merlot.

Color: Deep red.

Alcohol Content: Minimum 11.5 %

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Decanting: None.

Pouring: Pour slowly with a 15-20 degree inclination.

Glass: Red wine glass.

Aging: Not applicable.

Tags: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Valcalepio Red Wine Italian Wine Lombardia Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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