Piedmont is a premier Italian wine region producing iconic, age-worthy red wines from the Nebbiolo grape, notably Barolo and Barbaresco. The region also produces popular, fruity red wines from the Barbera and Dolcetto grapes, as well as sweet, low-alcohol sparkling wines from the Moscato grape, including Moscato d’Asti and Asti Spumante. Other significant white wines include Cortese di Gavi and Roero Arneis. The Piedmont region is located in the foothills of the Alps forming its border with France and Switzerland. To the northwest is the Valle d’Aosta, to the east is the province of Lombardy with the Liguria region forming its southern border along the Apennines.
Climate & Growing Conditions
The Piedmont wine region has a cold, continental winter climate, and low rainfall due to the rain shadow effect of the Alps. Vineyards are typically planted on hillsides altitudes between 490–1150 ft (150-400 metre). The warmer south facing slopes are mainly used for Nebbiolo or Barbera while the cooler sites are planted with Dolcetto or Moscato. The valley and the mountains to the north and west contribute to the area’s noted fog cover which aids in the ripening of the Nebbiolo (“Nebieu”) grape which gets its name from the Piedmontese word nebia meaning “fog”.
Numerous Indigenous Grape Varietals
The Piedmont produces more denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) wines by volume than any other Italian wine region with nearly 84% of the wine production falling under a DOCG designation. The area has no indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) classification, in contrast to Tuscany where IGT wines or Super Tuscans make up a significant portion of that region’s wine production. Some varietal style wines are made in the Piedmont region with the name of the grape and town both appearing on the label. Some denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) examples include Barbera d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti, and Dolcetto di Dogliani made entirely from the Barbera and Dolcetto grape respectively.
Barbera is the most widely planted grape in the region, but Nebbiolo and Dolcetto account for a significant portion of the area’s red wine production as well. With white wines, Moscato is the most prominent with its sparkling and frizzante style wines. Other notable white wines include styles made from the Cortesegrape in Gavi as well as blends of Cortese with Arneis and Favorita from Colli Tortonesi and Alto Monferrato. Since the 1980s there has been growing numbers of experimental plantings with the international varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc and Syrah. Other local or indigenous grapes include Baratuciat, Bonarda, Croatina, Erbaluce, Freisa, Gamba di Pernice, Grignolino, Grisa nera, Malvasia nera, Pelaverga, Plassa, Rossese bianco, Timorasso, Uvalino, Uva Rara and Vespolina.
Barolo – The king of wines, and the wine of kings.
In 1980, the wines of the Barolo region became one of the first Italian wines to receive DOCG status. Produced to the southwest of the town of Alba in the hills of the Langhe, Barolo is a big, tannic expression of the Nebbiolo grape. The soil of this area is a composition of clay and marl which helps to lessen the naturally high acidity of Nebbiolo. The Tanaro river flows through the heart of Barolo country and serves as a tempering influence on the region’s summertime heat till harvest time in late October/mid November. A small wine region, extending over 7 miles in length and 5 miles at its widest point, Barolo produces about 500,000 cases of wine annually. Nearly 87% of the zone production comes from vineyards in five communities: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, and Serralunga d’Alba. Wines from the Central Valley of La Morra and Barolo tend to be very perfumed and velvety with less tannins than other Barolos. The soil of the Central Valley itself is more clay based with increased levels of magnesium oxide and manganese. The wines from the Serralunga Valley are more full bodied and tannic and require aging of 12–15 years before they hit their peak. The soil of the Serralunga is heavy in sand, iron, limestone, phosphorus and potassium.