PIEDMONT WINES

The vast vineyards of the region extend over the hills of Monferrato, Astigiano, and Langhe, giving rise to prestigious Piemonte wines, especially reds such as Dolcetto d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, and the famous Piedmont red wine Barolo, but the white Piedmont wine also presents itself as rich in aromas and delicate, such as Langhe Doc Arneis, or the famous Asti Spumante.

Piedmont wines are of different types, with strong and varied flavors that derive from the clayey and sandy soils, the ventilation, and the thermal excursions of the mild climate present in the region. They can accompany different traditional foods and other types of dishes; each wine has its specific taste for a specific dish.

It was here that the extraordinary revolution in the world of wine began, which brought Italy back to the top of the production of high-quality wines. Piedmont wines, apart from a few exceptions, are single-variety, i.e., produced with a single grape.

Piedmont wines: between ancient and modern flavors

In Piedmont, the first examples of zoning of wine areas started, extending to Italian wine concepts such as terroir and cru: a specific wine is produced exclusively with grapes from a single vineyard or parcel whose name appears on the label. Currently, the denominations in which vineyard mentions are present are Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Dogliani DOCG.

The territory of these denominations is divided into zones, and within these, the parcels or crus are identified. Locations such as La Morra, Barolo, Serralunga d'Alba, Monforte d'Alba, and Castiglione Falletto are the wine areas of Barolo wine, while Barbaresco, Treiso, and Neive are for Barbaresco. Bussia, Lazzarito, Cerequio, Rocche, and Brunate are some examples of Barolo crus, as well as Rabajà, Asili, and Montestefano are for Barbaresco.

Piedmont has a vineyard area of 48,000 hectares, of which 43% are in the mountains, 30% on hills, and 27% in the plains. The production of Piedmont wine is 2,600,000 hectoliters, of which 81% is made up of PDO wines and 60% is made up of red and rosé wines, and 40% is made up of white wines. There are 19 DOCG Wines and 41 DOC for Piemonte Wine but no IGT.

Piedmont winemaking has a long history of millennial wine excellence. Already during the pre-Roman epochs, populations dedicated themselves to viticulture, an activity that grew further during the Roman domination starting from the 6th century BC. In the Middle Ages, various monastic orders contributed to the expansion of viticulture, defining the current wine areas of Monferrato, Langa, and Alto Piemonte.

Until the first half of the 19th century, Piedmont wines were mostly sweet, a tradition due to both commercial and technical reasons. The Maritime Republic of Genoa exported most of the wines by sea, and sweet wines ensured greater durability during long journeys. Moreover, Nebbiolo grapes have a rather late ripening, and the cold cellars where fermentation took place interrupted the fermentation process, leaving residual sugars in the wine.

The Nebbiolo grape variety, identified since 1200 AD, only became well-known starting from the 19th century thanks to the work of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, and the Marchesi di Barolo. Barolo, thanks to the French oenologist Louis Oudart, was the protagonist of the rebirth of Piedmont winemaking.

Even in the Piedmont wine region, it is possible to participate in wine tours to take part in the grape harvest and see how wine is made. In the end, it is also possible to taste an excellent Piemonte wine.

The best red Piedmont wines

Piedmont is a renowned region for producing high-quality wines, but there are some real specialties that you absolutely cannot miss. Here is a list of some famous Piedmont wines to taste:

Giacomo Borgogno Barolo Cannubi: a ruby red wine with orange reflections, it has a long and persistent aroma with notes of berries, flowers, and aromatic herbs. It has an intense flavor with notes of orange, berries, and a slightly bitter finish. The fermentation is regular for 12 days at high temperatures. After the transfer, it will be aged for 48 months in Slovenian oak barrels.

Thanks to its great strength and typicality, this red wine from Piemonte is able to satisfy even the most demanding palates.

How to serve it? At the table, it finds the right pairing with various types of meat, aged cheeses, and truffles. Drink it at around 18 °C.

Braida di Giacomo Bologna Barbera Bricco dell'Uccellone: there is an unmissable curiosity about the name; Uccellone was the nickname of a woman who lived on the hill of the vineyards. Her nose looked like a beak, and she was always dressed in black, which earned her the nickname in the village. Hence the name Bricco dell’Uccellone.

An intense ruby red Piemonte wine, with an aroma of red fruit with notes of spices and cinnamon, a sweet taste of berries with fresh notes of mint and licorice in the end, perfect to drink cold in summer. Produced with Barbera grapes, the maceration on the skins takes place at medium temperatures for about 20 days and then is aged in oak barrels for 12 months.

How to serve it? Useful to taste near meat, aged and medium-aged cheeses, risotto, and truffle dishes.

The best dessert wine from Piemonte

Fontanafredda Asti DOCG: Finally, we talk about dessert wines, this sweet and fresh wine has a sweet and intense flavor of grapes and flowers with an aroma of ripe fruit with notes of honey, obtained from drying of grapes and fermented in an autoclave at low temperature (Charmat method).

How to serve it? It should be served cold, excellent for desserts, and with fruit. It goes well with sweet cakes and classic pastries. Great Piedmont wine also for a sweet aperitif with friends. To be drunk strictly cold in a cup glass.

White wines from Piemonte: here's what to choose

Piemonte white wines offer a unique opportunity to discover different indigenous varieties, such as Timorasso, Gavi, or Arneis, all ideal for accompanying fish dishes or light appetizers. Let's see some of the best Piedmont wines.

• Moscato

Moscato Bianco is an extensively aromatic grape variety widely spread throughout Italy and one of the most important in terms of vineyard area. Belonging to the Muscat family, the name derives from "muscum", musk, which refers to the distinctive aroma present in the grape. It corresponds to the French grape variety Muscat à petit grains, known for its aromatic characteristics. In Italy, it has numerous synonyms, depending on the production region and the type of wine produced, such as Moscadello di Montalcino, Moscato di Canelli, Moscato d'Asti, and many others.

In the Piedmont wine regions, Moscato Bianco is the most cultivated white grape variety and one of the main ones in numerous provinces. It is also present in other Italian regions, including Valle d'Aosta, Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia. Internationally, it is grown in many wine-producing countries around the world.

Moscato Bianco is a very versatile grape variety, producing dry, aromatic, and fresh wines, sweet and sparkling like Asti DOCG sparkling wine and Sweet Passito wines for dessert. Its wines are very aromatic, light, and elegant, with good freshness and floral, citrus, and sage notes. They stand out for their lightness, elegance, acidity, and slightly hinted mineral notes.

As an excellent white Piedmont wine among the most exported from Italy, particularly to Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and America. Asti Spumante is known for its drinkability.

• Gavi

It is made from the Cortese grape variety, elegant and with a delicate taste. With a straw yellow color with green reflections, it gives a sweet and fresh aroma with notes of white flowers. On the palate, it is light with a sweet taste and a long finish. For the sparkling solution, there is no minimum fermentation time, it is easily obtained, while for the sparkling wine, a fermentation time of nine months is provided.

How to serve it? Excellent as an aperitif, especially in summer, and pairs with many foods such as lean appetizers, tasty vegetables like peppers, fish but also white meats such as chicken scallops, veal in tuna sauce, and fried foods and truffles.

• Erbaluce

The Erbaluce grape variety is native to Piedmont and its precise origin is still a matter of debate. It may have originated in the lower Monferrato or in the subalpine area of Canavese. The name Erbaluce has several theories about its origins, some suggest it comes from the coppery color of its grapes in the Alpine sun, while others believe it comes from the goddess Albaluce who supposedly made the vine grow from the ground. During the Roman era, it was known as Alba Lux for the brightness of its berries.

Erbaluce is a versatile grape that can be used to produce different types of white wine, from dry to sparkling, to sweet and Passito wines. Thanks to the pronounced acidity and sweetness of its berries, Passito wines benefit from the resistance of the berries to mold and pests. Erbaluce clusters are medium size with a slightly elongated shape.

• Arneis

Over the last twenty years, Arneis has become the symbolic face of the Roero area. Characterized by floral notes and delicate aromas that contrast with a relatively full body and other fruity nuances of pear and apricot, enriched by a slight hint of hazelnut, the Piedmont white wines Roero Arneis, produced on the banks of the Tanaro River, have been nicknamed "Barolo Bianco".

In recent decades, Arneis has undergone a period of decline, but there are various theories about the origin of this phenomenon. Since the region is renowned for its famous Piemontese red wines, white grape varieties were often planted in less desirable positions.

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