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PIEDMONT WINE

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Table of Contents:

GRAPES
THE DOCs AND DOCGs

 

Wines of Italy                        Italian Beers.                           Italian Spirits.

Piedmont wine tastes even better in this setting.
Piedmont, perfect for growing wine

Piedmont, (pee-ay-MON-tay,) has 58 D.O.C. (D.O.C.G.) zones of wine. That’s around 16% of Italy’s D.O.C. (Denomination of Controlled and Origin) wines. Reds wines are the king but try the whites as well.

To the north lie the majestic Alps. The hilly Apennines to the south is where you will find the quality wine production of Piedmont wine.

Why do these mountains play an essential part in the wines? Moisture and temperature. The moist air from the Mediterranean comes in at night, and the hills trap it in the valleys. As the warm moist air mixes with the fresh Alpine air, it creates morning fog to every photographer’s delight.

Several of the Piedmont wine grapes love morning moisture
Piedmont villages float on early morning fog.

The fog is a friend to some grapes but wrecks havoc on others.

 

Where Do I Find Piedmont Wine?

The majority of the vineyards are south and east of Turin.

The UNESCO The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato territories include these. They are predominantly red wines.

Piedmont wines and Hazelnut trees dot the landscape
The hills of Langhe.

The white wines make up approximately 35% of the Piedmont wine production. They range from mild young wines to excellent dessert wines.

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The Grapes.

Without making this a graduate study, we will look at three things in Piedmont Wine.

 

Tannin.

Tannin is a natural chemical that comes from plants, seeds, wood, leaves, and fruit skins. In wine, tannin adds bitterness, astringency, and complexity. The more tannin in a wine, the drier it is.

The red Piedmont wines are famous for their tannins.
There is some tannin in every wine.

You feel tannins in the middle of your tongue and towards the front of your mouth. Think of drinking pure black tea. Did your the front part of your mouth tingle a little? Dark chocolate and eating grapes may cause a similar but slighter effect.

Because the juice is in contact with the seeds and skin longer, tannins are more common in red wine. White wines can have tannin too. Some places ferment grapes differently. Also, if they age the white wine in wooden barrels, the wood gives off tannins.

 

Terroir

What exactly, is a “terroir?” In short, it somewhat tells us everything else about wine beyond the vine and grape. The terroir tells us the soil, climate, and even altitude about the location of the grapes.

Is it rocky, low altitude, or a dry climate? What is in the soil? Why does the same grape growing on the left side of the road taste different than on the right?  All of these affect the grape juice.

Even drainage of the soil effects the taste.
The grapes at the bottom of the hill will taste different than the ones at the top.

Nowadays, they get into the micro-level of studying wine. For this discussion, let’s stop at the where, how, and when, and how it affects the finished Piedmont Wine.

 

Aroma / Flavors

To me, this is the only important part. Do I like it?

I do not get into the flavors and aromas like some. “It has a melon (three days before its ripe) undertone with a hummingbird kiss of sweetness”.

My translation is something along, its a little sweet and goes well with fruit.

Let’s dig deeper, but not too much.

 

Primary Aromas.

Primary aromas refer to the type of grape or the environment in which it grows. There are around 80 (currently) flavors in the Primary Aroma group.

The flavors fit into several categories: flowers, spices, earth (soil), noble rot (overripe), and even vegetables. Then there are all the different fruit aromas: tree, tropical, red, black, and dried fruit aromas.

 

Secondary Aromas.

Secondary aromas come from the fermentation process. These aromas are present in all wines at some level and are more noticeable in young wines. These include fragrances such as yeasty, sourdough, lager, or Buttery. Also, tar, mushroom, and truffle may be descriptions.

 

Tertiary (older) Aromas.

Another word for these is the “bouquet.” During the aging of the wine, oxidation creates aromas. Also, the type of container the wine is in, such as a bottle or barrel, effects aromas.

If in a barrel, what kind of barrel. Oak-aging refers to wine resting inside an oak barrel. Aromas include vanilla, baking spices, smoke, cigar, and others, including tobacco, coffee, cocoa, leather, or nutty flavors. As wines age, they take on aromas of dried fruit.

Are these all? Hardly, but it gives you some idea what others are saying.

Red Grapes

Nebbiolo.

Nebbiolo is the King grape from Piedmont. It is a grape with high tannin (dry,) and the terroir is clay-like. Flavors include red cherry, tar, and rose.

The king of the Piedmont reds.
Nebbiolo, you can taste it just by looking at the grapes.

It is not the most extensive red wine they produce in volume, but it has the most intense taste.

Thirteen of the D.O.C. or D.O.C.G. certified wines in Piedmont are Nebbiolo wines. The flavors vary dramatically, even between vineyards near one another.

The Nebbiolo from Piedmont is usually at its peak after 10 – 15 years of aging.

 

Barbera.

As far as planting, Barbera is the most popular red grape variety of Piedmont wines.  It has low tannins but a high level of acids.

It is the work horse of Piedmont reds
If you’re drinking red wine in Piedmont, there’s a strong chance it has some Barbera in it.

The terroir is somewhat all over the place. It ranges from sandy to limestone, low elevation to higher. Flavors include black cherry, anise, and dried herbs.

 

 Dolcetto.

The name means “little sweet one,” which is slightly misleading. Dolcetto is not a sweet wine. The flavors to describe it include blackberry, licorice, and tar. Neither is the wine little. The tannin will dry your mouth out. Due to low acidity, the wines do not age as well as others. Aging for these wines is in months, not years.

Some producers are playing with the production. They are punching up the dark fruit flavors and reducing the tannins to make a wine similar to a Merlot.

The small ones always have something to prove and these grapes do.
Dolcetto grapes cluster on a bush-like vine.

These three varieties (above) represent the majority of Piedmont’s red wines. They will be easy to find.

There are other reds, but you will probably not find them outside of Italy. And in a few cases, not outside of their region.

Bold Piedmont Wine.

  • Ruché (ROO-kay) is a unique grape that grow in small quantities in the Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato D.O.C.G. It has high tannins flavors include roses, pepper, black cherries, and cinnamon.

 

Light Piedmont Wine.

  • Grignolino P.D.O. – produces a grape with higher tannins and white pepper or bright spice flavors. Best when young.

 

Bubbly Piedmont Wine.

  • Pelaverga – is from the Verduno Pelaverga and Colline Saluzzesi DOCs. This grape is another with low production. Low tannins with cherries and raspberries as the flavors make it popular as a sparkling wine.
  • Brachetto – is a sweet-and-floral light red wine tasting of strawberries available in either frizzante (fizzy) or spumante (sparkling).
  • Freisa – is a grape making a somewhat sweet, lightly sparkling, or foaming wine. It grows in over 20 of the DOC areas.
  • Quagliano – is a rare grape variety they use in wines of relatively low-alcohol. They are still and sparkling red wines. Quagliano grows primarily in the Colline Saluzzesi DOC. They also use it for blending.
  • Malvasia di Schierano – produces a highly musky and aromatic slightly-sweet sparkling wine.

For Blending.

  • Bonarda – grapes produce a bold wine with fruit flavors and medium tannins. It is famous for blending.
  • Crotina – is high in color and tannin. Flavors include raspberry and ripe black cherry.
  • Malvasia Nera – is a blending grape in dry and sweet red wines.
  • Uva Rara – is a common choice for blending.
  • Vespolina – is a fruity, spicy, and tannic red wine grape used for blending with Nebbiolo or Bonarda.

 

White Grapes

Moscato Bianco.

The Moscato Bianco is a very ancient grape with intense aromas of roses, mandarin orange, and lychee. You can find them using it in at least thirteen Italian DOC and D.O.C.G. wines. It has been an essential grape to the Piedmont wine area since 1600. The Consortium for the Moscato d’Asti began in 1932, two years before one for Barolo. They use it in two different sparkling wines.

Although the most popular of the white, Piedmont only makes 35% white wine.
Moscato Bianco

 Cortese.

Cortese has high acidity and can retain freshness regardless of where it grows. The vine needs constant attention to get quality grapes. In the Gavi region, the wines use 100% Cortese grapes, but other places use it as a blend.  Flavors are a citrusy lime, apple, peach, and grassy.

Flat land sure makes harvesting easier.
Rows of Cortese vines.

Arneis.

You will find this traditional white grape from Piedmont in wines of Roero and the DOC wines in Langhe. Arneis grapes produce a medium-bodied wine. They are fresh, and flavors include pear, apricot, tangerine, hazelnut, and almond.

They look fresh and fruity and make a similar wine.
You can almost taste the sunshine in the Arneis grape.

Other Piedmont White Wines.

There are different, more esoteric white varieties in Piedmont. Here’s a shortlist with a basic description of what they’re like:

  • Erbaluce –  a brightly acidic wine with high aromatics of spicy herbs.
  • Favorita – is a dry white with a bitter note on the finish.
  • Timorasso – is predominantly for blending.

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The D.O.C.s and D.O.C.G.s of Piedmont Wine

Piedmont has more D.O.C.G.s and DOCs than just about any other region in Italy. Piedmont DOCs number 42. D.O.C.G.s number 17. Wine production in this area has been a large part of the history of the region.

What is Piedmont D.O.C.s or D.O.C.G.s?

Italian wine labels, just like the ones in France and Spain, must show an established set of the necessary information. These include producer name, appellation, vintage, alcohol content, etc.

The Italian system mimics the French appellation system in many ways. The DOC and D.O.C.G. categories first appear in 1982.

  • D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) covers almost every traditional Italian wine style. There are over 300 individual DOC titles in Italy. Each one has a set of laws governing its viticultural zone, the grape varieties, and wine style they can produce.
  • D.O.C.G. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is the highest classification for Italian wines. First, they need to follow all the rules of the DOC.  They also receive a whole new set of strict regulations governing the production of D.O.C.G. wines. These include grape varieties, the yield limits, how ripe the grapes need to be, and on and on. Then every D.O.C.G. wine goes through official tasting tests.

There are also I.G.T. and Vino da Tavola status for Italian wines. Neither applies to Piedmont DOCs or D.O.C.G.s.

Every area is like a new aisle of wines.
Piedmont is like a giant wine store

Piedmont Wines.

The wine was necessary in the Piedmont area from early times. Travelers passing through Piedmont would buy it. Piedmont has several major routes from Italy to France and Spain on the other side. Wine regions sprang up near all the passes.

The wine was also a requirement of the House of Savoy, who would entertain regularly. And they did it in grand style. Parties would last for days and be for several hundred guests. They would require excellent wine and in vast quantities. Nothing was too good for the Savoys.

 

Below, you will find the Denominazione (wine areas) listed in alphabetical order. First, the Piedmont D.O.C.s, then the D.O.C.G.s.

The Denomination lists the color/type of wine they produce, and the grapes they use.

 

Piedmont D.O.C.s

Alba D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera

Location: South of Turin, it is the furthest south of all the regions.

It can be a great central point if you plan to spend more than a day.
The vineyards surround Alba.

Albugnano D.O.C.

    • Rosso (Red) Wines
    • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Bonarda, and Freisa

      • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Bonarda, and Freisa

Location: East of Turin, named after the hilltop village of Albugnano. The town sits at an altitude of 1750ft, making it among the highest of Piedmont’s wine communes.

 

Barbera d’Alba D.O.C.

      • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Rosso Barbera,  Nebbiolo

Location: Southeast of Turin, including the town of Alba and surrounding hills.

 

Barbera del Monferrato D.O.C.

Grapes; Barbera,  Dolcetto, Freisa, and Grignolino

Location: Southeast of Turin and Asti.

There is a view in any direction.
The rolling hills near Monferrato.

Boca D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna,  Uva Rara, and Vespolina

Location: Northeast of Turin, in the shadows of the Alps.

 

Bramaterra D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna, Croatina, Uva Rara, and Vespolina.

Location: Northeast of Turin, east of Biella. Near the Alps.

 

Calosso D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes:  Gamba Rossa + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin, due south from Asti.

 

Canavese D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Bonarda, Freisa, Nebbiolo, Neretto di Bairo, and Uva Rara + Others

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Bonarda, Freisa, Nebbiolo, Neretto di Bairo, Uva Rara, + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Erbaluce

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Erbaluce, Barbera, Bonarda, Freisa, Nebbiolo, Neretto di Bairo, Uva Rara + Others

Location: Northeast of Turin, south of Ivrea. Suitable for incorporating with sightseeing.

There is no hill too steep that you cannot grow something on it.
Vineyards of Canavese

Carema D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

 Grapes: Barbera, Bonarda, Freisa, Nebbiolo, Neretto di Bairo, and Uva Rara + Others

Location: Northeast of Turin, north of Ivrea. Useful for incorporating with sightseeing.

 

Cisterna d’Asti D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Croatina + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin, west of Asti. It is 10 miles north of Alba.

 

Colli Tortonesi D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Aleatico, Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Lambrusca di Alessandria, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Aleatico, Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Lambrusca di Alessandria, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Barbera Bianca, Chardonnay, Cortese, Favorita, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, Timorasso, Welschriesling

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Cortese, Timorasso + Others

Location: 90 minutes east of Turin, and an hour west of Piacenza. Can incorporate with transfer to Milan or Piacenza.

Soak in the scenery or soak in wine? It can be a dilemma.
The village of Sarezzano, near Tortona

Collina Torinese D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Freisa, Bonarda, Malvasia, Pelaverga (locally Cari) + Others

Location: East of Turin, in the hill country.

 

Colline Novaresi D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Croatina, Vespolina Uva Rara, + Others

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna) + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Erbaluce

Location: Northeast of Turin and Biella. Near the Fara and Boca regions.

 

Colline Saluzzesi D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Uva Rara (locally Bonarda Novarese), Barbera, Chatus, Pelaverga +  Others

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Quagliano

Location: South and a little west of Turin and Racconigi. A historical grape in a small region.

 

Coste della Sesia D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo, Croatina, Spanna, Vespolina, + Others

Location: Northeast of Turin, north of Vercelli. In the foothills of the Alps.

Hot springs still feed the fountains and spas.
Dating from Roman times, the town of Acqui Terme

Dolcetto d’Acqui D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna) + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Erbaluce

Location: Southeast of Turin and Asti. Thermal baths are also in this area.

 

Dolcetto d’Alba D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto

Location: Southeast of Turin in the Alba region.

There are so many local wineries, what do you choose to go with your pasta and truffles?
The old town of Alba.

Dolcetto d’Asti D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto

Location: South and a little east of Turin. It is in between Bra, Asti, and Barolo.

 

Dolcetto di Ovada D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto, + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin and Asti. In the Monferrato hills.

 

Fara D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

      Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna), Uva Rara, Vespolina, + Others

Location: Northeast of Turin, south of the Boaca region.

 

Freisa d’Asti D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Freisa

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Freisa

Location: Southeast of Turin, in the hills surrounding Asti.

Wandering the pedestrian streets of Chieri is a great way to pass an afternoon.
Chiesa di San Filippo Neri church in Chieri

Freisa di Chieri D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Freisa + Others

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Freisa + Others

Location: east and a little south of Turin, in the plains

 

Gabiano D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Freisa, and Grignolino

Location: East of Turin, and just south of the Po River.

 

Grignolino d’Asti D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Grignolino, Freisa

Location: Southeast of Turin, in the hills around Asti.

 

Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Grignolino, Freisa

Location: East of Turin, on the other side of the hills.

 

Langhe D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Freisa, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, + Others

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Arneis, Chardonnay, Favorita, Nascetta, Riesling, Rossese Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc + Others

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Arneis, Chardonnay, Nascetta, Riesling Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo + Others

Location: South and a little east of Turin, west of Asti. It is north of Alba.

Piedmont wines and Hazelnut trees dot the landscape
The hills of Langhe.

Lessona D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna), Uva Rara, and Vespolina

Location: Northeast of Turin, due east of Biella. It is one of the smallest DOCs in Piedmont.

 

Loazzolo D.O.C.

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Moscato Bianco

Location: Southeast of Turin, due south of Asti. The vineyards overlook the Bormida river and produce sweet white wines.

 

Malvasia di Casorzo d’Asti / Malvasia di Casorzo / Casorzo D.O.C.

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Malvasia Nera + Others

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Malvasia Nera + Others

Location: Due east of Turin over the hills. Both red and rose wines are specialties.

 

Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Malvasia Nera (di Schierano or Nera Lunga), Freisa

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Malvasia Nera,  Freisa

Location: Just east of Turin, in the Cheri region. It does not benefit from the effects of a Mediterranean climate.

 

Monferrato D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto, Freisa + Others

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Cortese + Others

Location: East and a little south of Turin and Alessandria. They specialize in blending native varieties with international grapes.

Their biggest sellers are Nutella, Tic Tacs, and Ferrero Rocher
You can also find chocolate in Alba at places like the Pietro Ferrero factory.

Nebbiolo d’Alba D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Nebbiolo

Location: Southeast of Turin, in the hills around Alba. It covers a large area.

 

Pinerolese D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Bonarda, Chatus, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Doux d’Henry, Freisa + Others

  • Rosato (Rose) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Bonarda, Chatus, Nebbiolo + Others

Location: Southwest of Turin, it has been under French rule as well.

 

Rubino di Cantavenna D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Freisa and Grignolino

Location: East and a little north of Turin, their specialty is Barbera reds.

 

Sizzano D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna), Uva Rara (locally Bonarda Novarese) and Vespolina

Location: Northeast of Turin, and east of Biella. It is one of the smallest and oldest DOCs.

 

Strevi D.O.C.

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Moscato Bianco

Location: East and a little south of Turin, south of Alessandria. It covers sweet white Muscat wines.

roman aqueduct in Acqui Terme
You can see remnants from the Romans in nearby Acqui Terme.

Terre Alfieri D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Arneis + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin, and west of Asti. It is in an area where you are not sure where one region ends and the next begins.

 

Valli Ossolane D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Croatina, Merlot, Nebbiolo + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Chardonnay + Others

Location: Northeast of Turin in the Alps. It includes Verbano, Cusio, and Ossola regions. Beautiful scenery.

Similar to Como, which is not far to the east.
The scenery around Orta San Giulio, Verbano Cusio, and Ossola is breath-taking

Valsusa D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Avanà, Barbera, Dolcetto, Neretta Cuneese + Others

Location: West of Turin, it is home to some of the lesser-known Piedmont wines.

 

Verduno Pelaverga / Verduno D.O.C.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Pelaverga Piccolo + Others

Location: South of Turin, between Bra and Alba. These are small territories with bigger ones surrounding them.

 

Cortese dell’Alto Monferrato D.O.C.

  • Bianco(White) Wine

Grapes: Cortese + Others

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Cortese + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin, south of Alba and Asti. The high hills offer great views.

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Piedmont D.O.C.G.

Alta Langa D.O.C.G.

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero + Others

Location: South of Turin and Alba. They specialize in unique champagne-style sparkling white wines.

 

Asti D.O.C.G.

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Moscato Bianco (locally Moscatello)

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Moscato Bianco,

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Moscato Bianco

Location: Southeast of Turin and in and around Asti. These are the extra special wines.

It also makes a great base for multiple day visits.
Asti is also the center of several Piedmont D.O.C.s.

Barbaresco D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo

Location: Southeast of Turin, in and around Alba, a historic wine area.

 

Barbera d’Asti D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin and Asti. In the hilly areas between Asti and Alessandri.

 

Barbera del Monferrato Superiore D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, and Grignolino

Location: Southeast of Turin and Asti. These are the best Barbera wines.

 

Barolo D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo

Location: Southeast of Turin and Bra. It is the area around Barolo village.

Barolo has a corkscrew museum and wine tasting.
The road to Barolo

Brachetto d’Acqui / Acqui D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Brachetto + Others

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Brachetto + Others

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Brachetto + Others

Location: Southeast of Turin and southwest of Alexandria. They make a traditional sweet, frothy red wine.

 

Dogliani D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto

Location: Southeast of Turin, and south of Barolo. They only produce Dolcetto wines.

 

Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba / Diano d’Alba D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto

Location: Southeast of Turin in the hills outside Alba. It has sunny south-western exposure.

 

Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore / Ovada D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Dolcetto

Location: Southeast of Turin and south of Alessandria. The soil consists of clay, tufa, and limestone, and the vineyards must be above 3280ft.

 

Erbaluce di Caluso / Caluso D.O.C.G.

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Erbaluce

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Erbaluce

  • Dessert & Specialty Wines

Grapes: Erbaluce

Location: Northeast of Turin, south of Ivrea. They include sweet white dessert wines and dry white wines

Rivers flowing from the Alps crisscross many of the towns
If you are going to be in the area, Ivrea deserves a look.

Gattinara D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna), Uva Rara, and Vespolina

Location: Northeast of Turin, and east, northeast of Beilla. They center around the commune of Gattinara on steep, south-facing slopes.

 

Gavi / Cortese di Gavi D.O.C.G.

  • Bianco (White) Wine

           Grapes: Cortese

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

  Grapes: Cortese

   Location: Southeast of Turin and Alessandria. The town of Gavi is in the center.

The problem with Piedmont is there is more to do than just drink wine.
The Gavi Fort overlooks the town and Gavi vineyards.

Ghemme DO.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo (locally Spanna), Uva Rara, and Vespolina

Location: Northeast of Turin, east of Biella. The area history goes back to the Celtic tribes who grew vines there.

 

Nizza D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Barbera

Location: Southeast of Turin and Asti. They make the wines only from Barbera grapes.

 

Roero D.O.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Nebbiolo + Others

  • Bianco (White) Wine

Grapes: Arneis + Others

  • Spumante (Sparkling) Wine

Grapes: Arneis, + Other

Location: Southeast of Turin and north of Alba. Famous for both refreshing white wines, but also bold, fragrant reds.

And it is lovely at night, after a day of vineyard visits.
The town of Bra is within proximity to a host of wineries and wine towns.

Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DO.C.G.

  • Rosso (Red) Wines

Grapes: Ruchè, Barbera and Brachetto

Location: Southeast of Turin and northeast of Asti, this is a small area, and the wines are only beginning to make their way outside of the Monferrato area.

Wine Related.

This list is only scratching the surface of the Piedmont DOCs and D.O.C.G. wines.

Beyond what you see above are the individual wines, and then the vintage years. Do you begin to see the scope of the wines from this area?

We already hit upon the  UNESCO The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. 

Then there’s the Slow Food Foundation. Piedmont is the base of the foundation that now reaches around the world. They believe the wines of Piedmont, and the rest of Italy, are so important, they have a wine bank.

The Wine Bank is in Pollenzo, adjacent to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, the Slow Food University. The bank holds over 100,000 bottles of the world’s best wines.

You can visit the bank and also sample several of the wines. I do suggest reservations.

The grounds are one of the Royal Residences of the House of Savoy.
The hotel and university mingle between the buildings.

There are also sleeping accommodations and excellent (slow) dining at The Albergo dell’Agenzia hotel. The hotel shares the Royal Residence of Savoy property with the university.

The restaurant follows the principles of the Slow Food philosophy. Natural ingredients. Each day, the chefs visit the local markets and other producers to choose the very finest of ingredients.  Then they prepare them using the traditional, slow methods passed down through generations. They will even help you pair your meal with wines from the Wine Bank next door.

The House of Savoy imported many things that are part of the Piedmont diet.
A Royal Residence of the House of Savoy

Bra and Barolo are less than 20 minutes away and Asti approximately 40 minutes.

Tour in the morning and taste in the afternoon.

You need at least two days to begin to sample some of the Piedmont DOCs and D.O.C.G.s. Even if you test six different areas a day, you would need a week to cover the Piedmont D.O.C.s.

 

Piedmont Wine Summary.

The 58 D.O.C. and D.O.C.G. would take you several days, and possibly a new liver, to sample all of them.

Then when you add in that, so many of them make numerous wines. And you need to sample local cuisine with the wine.

Piedmont has so much to offer; it is not hard to fill a day up quickly.

Sightseeing in the morning and wine tasting in the afternoon makes a nice variety.

It allows for walking and thinking while the day and your mind are fresh.

Then a slower pace in the afternoon.

With so much to taste, try, and see, you better get a start.

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