​Vin de la Sabla Les Cretes

Among these virtuous wineries there is Les Cretes. Its top wine is called Vin de la Sabla, a red wine derived from a blend composed mainly of local black grape varieties, autochthonous or perfectly inserted in the Alpine context. Below, we present our review of this iconic wine of Valle d'Aosta.

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Les Cretes was officially founded in 1989 in Aymavilles, on the right of the Dora Baltea, in the area of the Cogne Valley, in Valle d'Aosta, thanks to Costantino Charrère, who carried on a centuries-old family tradition. During the eighteenth century, his great-grandfather Etienne had dedicated himself to the production of cider and the processing of wheat, rye and barley. Antoine, the father of Constantine, produced olive oil and fine wines. Constantine, instead, turned into reality the dream of creating his own winery. His contribution to the enology of the Valle d'Aosta was of primary importance. In particular, Costantino worked to rediscover and enhance two rare autochthonous vines, Premetta (Prié Rouge) and Fumin, achieving great quality results. And, in a short time, Les Cretes gained a worldwide success that, even today, grows from year to year ...

The family-run winery covers about 25 hectares of vineyards, located in 6 municipalities in Valle d'Aosta: Aosta, Aymavilles, Gressan, Saint Christophe, Saint Pierre and Sarre. The production area, due to the steep slopes, is characterized by a considerable fragmentation of the vineyards, carefully selected to have the ideal conditions for the cultivation of the vine. The climate is alpine, with a strong temperature range between day and night, characteristic of mountain areas, which allows an ideal development of the aromatic components of the grapes. The soils are morainic and sandy, perfect for enhancing the qualities of several autochthonous vines (Petit Rouge, Fumin, Petite Arvine, Gros Rouge, Cornalin, Mayolet and Premetta) and some international varieties (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah).

Vin de la Sabla is the historic wine of Les Cretes, already produced by the family since 1971, before the official foundation of the winery. It is a blend of autochthonous black grape varieties, Petit Rouge (30%), Fumin (30%) and Mayolet (10%), with 30% Barbera. All the vines are cultivated in La Sabla di Aymavilles, in vineyards at altitudes between 500 and 750 metres above sea level. The name "La Sabla", that is "sand", refers to the typical sandy character of the soil. The grapes are harvested manually in the last decade of October. The fermentation is in stainless steel, for about 8 days, at a controlled temperature of 26 º C. Finally, the wine ages in stainless steel, for 8 months, not in wood, with the aim of preserving the original aroma of the grapes, and in the bottle, for 5 months.

Let’s go to the tasting.

In our online wine sales site you will also find other Les Cretes wines.

Vin de la Sabla Les Cretes is a dark ruby red color. On the nose emerges a bouquet of varied scents, with hints from the different varieties involved in the blend. We perceive notes of raspberry and red fruits, hints of violet and delicate sensations that remind us of pepper. On the palate it is soft, full-bodied and savory. It has an important structure (14.5% vol.), with a persistent and mineral notes that generate a sensation of freshness.

The producer recommends it with red meats. Perfect also with spicy and very tasty dishes.

Buy it in our online wine shop and let us know your opinion.