The CAVEN CAMUNA company was founded in 1982 and since then has had its seat in the municipality of Teglio situated in the locality “Caven Morelli”, so-called for many centuries by the local inhabitants as it was once the property and residence of the one of the oldest patriarchal families, as noted on the cadastral register as “Morelli”.

The name Camuna, however, derives from the fact that in ancient times the Camuna lived in this locality.  Archaeological finds in this area are of a certain historical value of interest to both scholars and experts.  One of these is a stone article which without doubt is of greater interest.  It is kept in the Besta di Teglio palace and holds the name of “Mother Goddess”, symbol of fertility and of  industriousness of that people.

Initially, already in possession of a vineyard situated in the afore-mentioned locality at 700 m. above sea level and covering a surface area of 5 hectare, the Azienda Agricola Caven Camuna has over the last quarter of a century expended its energy and resources in acquiring various vineyards from different areas of the Valtellina Superiore D.O.G.C.: Inferno, Sassella, Grumello and Valgella.  Today it is owner of about 40 hectares and is the only estate in Valtellina to have such a large cultivated area.

The cultivated grape variety is prevalently Nebbiolo (for centuries known as “Chiavennasca” by the Valligiani) on Berlandieri of American origin 420 A root-stock, now new clones and root-stocks, as they have always adapted better to the characteristics of the land which is of morainic origin.  Even though the wine from the various areas originates from grapes of a same vine stock, in organoleptic terms they are different thanks to diverse micro-climates and composition and depth of the soil of each single area.

The wine production is formed mostly by the Nebbiolo grape which is present in the ratio of 95%, but also Pignola, Brugnola and Rossola at a 5% ratio.  Out of these it is Rossola which plays the larger part; a late maturing grape from which is obtained a ruby-coloured wine, of good fragrance, fresh in acidity, slightly tannic, of average flavour and body.  This grape variety has been present in the Valtellina for hundreds of years.  Historically, during the Austrian-Hungarian dominion on the Lombard-Veneto area, it aroused the interest of the invaders who cultivated and called it with the now famous name of GRUNER Veltliner.  The inhabitants of Alto Adige were also particularly interested and have successfully cultivated it for many years.

Grape harvesting begins about the first half of October; once the grapes have been processed, the wine undergoes aging for at least two years, one of which in oak barrels, as described by the production Rulings for D.O.G.C. (name of origin certified and guaranteed) wines. These Rulings are very severe, complex and meticulous.

The Azienda Agricola Caven Camuna produces the wines Sassella, Inferno, Valtellina Superiore and Sforzato (SFURZAT), the latter being obtained from the vinification of the “Nebbiolo Chiavannasca” grape, slightly dried on special racks in order to obtain a high sugar concentrate, due to natural dehydration, thereby obtaining a wine with an alcohol content of about 15%. As there is no given production area the grapes used are the ones which show healthy characteristics and of the right maturation inside the Valtellina production areas.  Grape drying brings a diminishment in acidity and the formation of aromatic substances peculiar to Sfurzat – a wine with a certain alcohol content and mellowness.

On nearing conclusion of this very concise presentation of the Azienda Agricola Caven Camuna, it seems important to us to mention the very difficult and delicate amount of work which the Azienda has put in over the past years with regard to selecting vines and to the mechanisation of the practical side.

Over the past few years Nebbiolo Chiavennasca vines have been planted from two diverse clones, on which various experiments have been made.  Moreover, we are going ahead with tests on a hectare of vineyard planted with Chardonnay, at an altitude of 800 m. above sea level, which, in accordance with what we have been able to ascertain up till now, look promising.