Valtellina – where Nebbiolo means the mountains

A couple of years ago a glass of red wine slid before me was accompanied by the dreaded question, 'What's this?' On first inspection there was a floral perfume, high acidity, cherry fruit, tar and tannin with a slightly bitter finish. 'Italian?', I ventured. My friend's expression said I was right but that my answer was neither revelatory nor adequate.

'Go on...' A closer second look; the wine had an orange rim and smelled of roses while the palate showed violets...