While Valtellina’s steep sides surely do not look the most appealing for agriculture, the local’s hard efforts to shape the land to meet their needs have paid off and these steep terraces have now become the valley’s trademark for its wine production. The time-honoured terraces have led the valley to thrive, demonstrating how people found ingenious ways to cultivate the land without causing harm.
Unlike conventional walls, the technique used in Valtellina does not include any sort of binding materials like cement or plaster. Instead, it’s an artform that revolves around the careful positioning of stones, which simply sit on top of each other.
With the creation of these dry-stone walls, it became feasible to grow crops and work the land on Valtellina’s leg-burningly steep mountainsides. Over the time, the population have created 820 hectares of cultivated land spread across the Rhaetian Alps. This is what allowed Valtellina’s grapevines to come into existence and put the valley on track to cementing its name within wine culture.
The dry-stone walls are an integral part of the terraced landscape where the vines grow, each perfectly placed at the right altitude on the steep slopes to find the optimal growing conditions.
Rewind to 2018 and the announcement from UNESCO that Valtellina’s dry-stone walls would be officially recognised as a piece of intangible cultural heritage. It was a big moment for the valley, sparking conversation and celebration about this early example of primitive, rural architecture that demonstrates how humans and nature can work together in harmony.
Two years later, it was the turn of the terraced vineyards on the Rhaetian Alps side of Valtellina to receive a title: Paesaggio Rurale Storico or traditional rural landscape, and a space on the national registry. The steep vineyards testify to the creativity of local wine makers, coupling human craftsmanship with what’s present and possible.
For deeper insight into Valtellina’s rural architecture, visit: https://www.valtellina.it/en/rural
Exploring the Strada del Vino e dei Sapori (Road of Wine & Flavours) in Valtellina by foot or by bike offers full immersion into the region and lets you rendezvous with all its quirks.
Don’t miss the Via dei Terrazzamenti, a 70km waymarked shared-use trail that connects Morbegno with Tirano through the terraces. Designed for hiking, it’s a great year-round activity but truly comes alive in autumn when the colours really pop.
For those keen to admire the walls up close, Valtellina Wine Trekking offer a series of walks designed for all abilities and lasting approximately 90 minutes. Each tour ends with an exclusive visit to a wine cellar for a tasting session of fine wine and local produce.
There are also E-bike Wine Tour, which combine delectable wine and great views with electric bikes.
