Piedmont Wine Guide

 

Piedmont is one of the most important Italian wine regions with its 50 appellations and its excellent wines.

In the north-west of Italy, the region of Torino got its name from its localisation at the foot of the Alps. The mountain range encircles the Piedmont's northern and western sides and forms the natural border with France. In the southeast, the Apennine Mountains marks the border with Liguria and the Mediterranean Sea. The vineyards spread on the foothills of the Alps. The typical terroir is influenced by the combination of continental climate from the mountains and the warmer Mediterranean winds. The soils combine clay and limestone with sandy areas.

Piedmont is divided in many appellations DOC. Langhe is the heart of the Piedmontese viticulture. Asti is the medieval town surround by vineyards of the high quality production of DOC Barbera del Monferrato, DOC Barbera d'Asti and the sparkling wines of the DOCG Asti and DOCG Moscato. Alba is well known for the varietal wines of the appellations DOC Dolcetto d'Alba, DOC Barbera d'Alba and DOC Nebbiolo d'Alba.

Langhe is the home of the famous DOCG Barolo and DOCG Barbaresco, which make Nebbiolo wines. The vineyards spread on steep hillsides facing south and east. Barolo DOCG is produced in the western part of the Langhe, in an area, which includes the five towns of La Mora, Monforte d'Alba, Serralunga d'Alba and Castiglione Falletto. Barbaresco DOCG surrounds the three towns of Neive, Treiso and Barbaresco.

Nebbiolo my love !

Nebbiolo is the king of Piedmont. It makes intense, structured red wines with strong tannins thanks to the clay soils. The wine has distinctive aromas of violet, gooseberry and licorice. It needs to age a decade in the bottle to express the powerful flavors behind the tannins and acid concentration. With age, the wine takes a dark color with floral and peppery notes, a rose and tar bouquet is added to the perfume of tobacco and leather.

A DOCG Barolo wine has to follow strict rules such as at least three years of maturation with 18 months inside oak barrels. The Riserva wines have to mature during at least five years with 18 months inside barrels.

Barbaresco is seen as Barolo's cousin, because it has slight differences with a lighter color, smoother tannins and a faster evolution.

Other local grapes are grown in Piedmont like Barbera and Dolcetto:

  • Barbera gives acid wines with light tannins. The clay lands of DOC Barbera d'Asti and DOC Barbera del Monferrato produce distinctive wines with salty griotte notes.
  • Dolcetto is a tannic grape with a small acid concentration. The wines are to be consumed young because they release fruity flavors of ripe quetsches.

Piedmont also produces white wines:

  • The Moscato d'Asti wine is a smooth light sparkling wine made of Muscat (Moscato) grape.
  • The Gavi made of Cortese is an acid white wine with green citrus and plum aromas.

Best producers in Piedmont

The most important Piedmont’s producers are the one making Barolo and Barbaresco wines: Marcarini, G.D. Vajra, Gaja, Massolino and La Spinetta.