Valle d'Aosta - or La Vallée as the locals like to call it - is probably one of the most interesting and diverse wine regions in Italy. Stretching from the Mont Bland massif in the north to the plains of Piemonte, it encompasses an amazing array of soils, micro-climates and corresponding amount of diverse grape varieties. Some were brought from nearby France, others from Switzerland, and many are autochtonous.

Crotta di Prado is a small family winery, with a vbery limited production on rather rocky soils facing south east. The grapes receive the sunlight directly, the cold winds from the mountains, and the heat from the rocky mountainside and stone wall that support the terracings.

This Pinot Gris is not a classical Italian "Pinot Grigio", nor does it resemble the often sugary French wines. It is incredibly silky and smooth in texture, reveals scents of crushed apples and cinnamon, flowers and flint stone, melon and apricot - elegant, complex, very territorial and very, very pretty!