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Wines of Piemonte
With more than 2,000 grape varietals and 27,000 producers, the Italian wine world confounds wine professionals and enthusiasts alike. Here explore wines by region.
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About Wines of Piemonte
The Wine & Food of Piemonte
Although it is difficult to represent any wine region in a condensed
form, Piemonte presents particular difficulties, given the complexity
of its wines and the historical and philosophical nuances that inform
their crafting. In fact, its eternal King and Queen, Barolo and Barbaresco,
provide material for lifelong study—given the infinite and subtle
distinctions that mark various producers’ interpretations of
single vineyards. Moreover, while Piemonte may possess a relatively
modest varietal lineup in comparison to other regions, producers number
in excess of 800, with several possessing very minuscule portions
of land. It can be a little overwhelming, but many, if not all Italian
wine experts, believe that knowledge of Piemonte is integral to realizing
a genuine appreciation and understanding of Italian wine.
Although the reverence accorded Piemonte is essentially the provenance
of its reds, the other primary wine classifications boast a fair degree
of attention themselves. In fact, you likely got your start in Piemonte—before
you knew what you were getting into—with the popular mainstays
of its sparkling category, Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti,
which represent, respectively, sparkling and semisparkling versions
of the Moscato grape. Piemonte’s Langhe hills also feature some
notable metodo classico sparklers, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
serving as the principal varietal bases of the region’s dry
sparkling wines. Outside of its sparkling role, Chardonnay enjoys
a fairly prominent position in Piemonte’s still white category,
and it represents the sole international variety recognized under
the Langhe DOC. Productions derived from this area exhibit notable
acidity and a mineral presence. On the native scene, the main varietal
constituents are Arneis, Erbaluce, and Cortese di Gavi.
Things get more complicated when you enter the red zone; although
the grapes concerned may not be numerous, they are represented by
a multitude of DOC zones, each of which, theoretically, delivers a
particular rendition of the grape concerned. Nebbiolo is the source
of Piemonte’s most complex, distinguished, and famous wines,
Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo possesses almost exclusive affinity
with Piemonte, as its performance outside this heralded zone is serviceable
at best. Despite its marked rapport with Piemonte, Nebbiolo still
proves to be a difficult partner, a fact directly implied by its provision
of less than 3% of the area’s production. A demanding one, it
requires significant exposure to the summer sun and ripens very late
in the season.
While Barbaresco is considered to be softer than Barolo, given the
appellation’s primary soil type (calcareous), many examples
defy this convenient point of difference. In general, however, it
tends to be slightly finer, less tannic, and more elegant than Barolo,
and typically offers greater approachability.
A significant dimension of a wine’s character is influenced
by the medium selected for aging as well as the represented site.
In traditional practice, Barolos and Barbarescos are fermented in
large wooden botti and the maceration process may extend over
a two-month period. In modern methodology, which began to evolve in
the 1960s, both maceration and fermentation periods were reduced.
A hallmark of the movement was the introduction of new French oak
barrels, which is widely attributed to Angelo Gaja.
In early production, the vineyard was rendered somewhat subordinate
to the grape, as winemakers blended grapes from various vineyard sites,
believing that the “perfect Barolo” derived from multiple
sources. Yet, the beneficent vintage of 1961 inaugurated a significant
shift in value, as vintners sought to privilege the distinctive elements
characterizing specific sites. Barolo’s vineyards have been
the subject of rigorous, extensive study, entailing the delineation
of nuances in altitude, exposure, and soil composition, although its
vineyards do not operate within a qualitative construct. In the early ’80s,
famed oenologist and winemaker Renato Ratti developed a map delineating
all of the historic Barolo and Barbaresco crus; this comprehensive
presentation continues to exercise influence in contemporary Piemonte
studies.
Although the height of Nebbiolo’s expression is realized in
Barolo and Barbaresco, these DOCGs do not have exclusive rights over
the interpretation of Nebbiolo. In northern Piemonte, Nebbiolo is
commonly referred to as Spanna, and the region of Gattinara
is considered to produce its most commanding expressions. While regulations
permit the addition of ten percent Vespolina and Bonarda, most Gattinara
is pure Nebbiolo. The nearby DOCG of Ghemme allows the inclusion of
up to 25 percent Vespolina and Uva Rara. In general, these wines are
lighter in style and body than the more esteemed duo, although some
Gattinaras may rival the aging potential of Barolo. In Piemonte proper,
Nebbiolo is offered under both the Nebbiolo d’Alba and Langhe
DOC classifications. As aging requirements are less exacting, they
afford the opportunity to experience a less complex Nebbiolo, which
is frequently enhanced by the addition of other grapes.
Outside Nebbiolo, Piemonte’s repertoire offers two grapes that
broaden its scope. Barbera, the most extensively planted of Piemonte’s
main varieties, offers the greatest stylistic range. Though traditionally
a light and rustic wine, today’s Barbera is decidedly more expressive
than its former persona. Dolcetto is the perfect varietal foil to
Nebbiolo given its low acidity and innately fruity character, which
may be maximized or tempered through site selection and vinification
techniques. Although oak aging enables it to mature, Dolcetto is primarily
considered to be an early drinking wine.
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Regional Information
Capital City: Turin
Provinces: 7
Surface: 9,807 sq miles
Population: 4,341,733
Density: 171/sq mile
Grapes
White Grapes:
Moscato
Cortese
Arneis
Erbaluce
Favorita
Chardonnay
Red Grapes:
Barbera
Dolcetto
Freisa
Braccheto
Bonarda
Cabernet Sauvignon
Nebbiolo, Grignolino
Merlot
Pinot Nero
Food
Cheeses
Bra
Castelmagno
Gorgonzola
Grana Padano
Murazzano
Raschera
Rabiola di Roccaverano
Taleggio
Toma Piemontese
Salumi
Mortadella Bologna
Salamini Italiani alla
Cacciatora
Other Regional Specialties
Gianduiotti
Nocciola di Piemonte
Tartufo Bianco d'Alba
Torrone
Recipes
Brasato al Barolo
Bagna Cauda
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Producers:
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Appellations:
DOCG:
Asti
Barbaresco
Barolo
Brachetto d'Acqui or Acqui
Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore or Dogliani
Gattinara
Gavi or Cortese di Gavi
Ghemme
Roero (Roero Arneis)
DOC:
Albugnano
Alta Langa
Barbera d'Alba
Barbera d'Asti
Barbera del Monferrato
Boca
Bramaterra
Canavese
Carema
Cisterna d'Asti
Colli Tortonesi
Collina Torinese
Colline Novaresi
Colline Saluzzesi
Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato
Coste della Sesia
Dolcetto
d'Acqui
Dolcetto d'Alba
Dolcetto d'Asti
Dolcetto delle Langhe Monregalesi
Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba or Diano d'Alba
Dolcetto di Dogliani
Dolcetto di Ovada
Erbaluce di Caluso or Caluso
Fara
Freisa d'Asti
Freisa di Chieri
Gabiano
Grignolino d'Asti
Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese
Langhe
Lessona
Loazzolo
Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti or Casorzo
Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco
Monferrato
Nebbiolo d'Alba
Piemonte
Pinerolese
Roero
Rubino di Cantavenna
Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato
Sizzano
Valsusa
Verduno Pelaverga or Verduno |
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