You will find Italy’s preeminent wine region at the foothills of the Italian Alps, appropriately called Piedmont, literally pie-d-mont, meaning foot of the mountain. Piedmont borders France and Switzerland and is influenced by both culture and cuisine. Like France’s Burgundy wine region, Piedmont relies on small vineyards cared for by owners who focus on indigenous grapes, producing iconic single-varietal wines. Eighty-four percent of Piedmont’s wines are of the highest quality, DOC, or DOCG levels.
Reds.
The Nebbiolo grape.
Nebbiolo, known locally as Spanna, is named for either the foggy region (nebbia = fog) or the white yeast that collects on the grapes. This grape produces expensive, powerful, dry, age-worthy, complex, and delicious wines. The most notable are from the small towns of Barolo and Barbaresco.
Barolo is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes, not a blend, and is known as the king of Italian wine. Barolos are aged before release for long periods and generally cellared for a minimum of five to ten years before drinking. This difficult-to-grow grape produces wines that accompany roasted meat, hearty pasta dishes, truffles, and rich cheese. It’s almost a special occasion wine with a signature aroma of tar and roses. However, aromas include violets, licorice candy, chocolate, prunes, dark figs, and cut leather.
Barbaresco is the queen of Italian wines and is equally complex as Barolo. It is aged less, somewhat more refined, more supple on the tongue, just as sought after, and can be equally expensive.
Nebbiolo d’alba is aged less than Barolos and Barbarescos, made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes, less expensive, and grown north of the best sights in Piedmont. It can be an excellent place to start your experimentation with Piedmont since the prices are more affordable.
Spanna, a local name for the Nebbiolo grape, is a rustic wine made from 100% Nebbiolo from northern Piedmont.
Gattinara and Ghemme are blended primarily with Nebbiolo grapes, with small amounts of Bonarda and Vespolina included. These two are good places to start enjoying Piedmont reds.
The Barbara grape.
The most planted grape in Piedmont is the wine consumed daily by locals. Barbara is a magenta-colored rustic wine. It is fruit-flavored, juicy, and has medium tannins. Its high acidity makes it a great food wine. Try Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba for great expressions of this grape.
The Dolcetto grape.
This grape produces an inexpensive, delicious wine with a bitter-chocolate finish, juicy, spicy, with low acid and tannins. Try Dolcetto d’Alba and Dolcetto di Dogliani.
The Brachetto grape.
They produce oh-so-good, sweet, lightly fizzy wine with low alcohol that pairs well with chocolate. Try Brachetto d’Acqui for a wonderful experience. See our article, THEY DO NOT LIKE WINE.
Whites.
The Cortese grape.
Gavi wine is made with this grape; it’s a bone-dry wine that is crisp, citrusy, and minerally, and perfect with seafood.
The Arneis grape.
Arneis wine is dry, lively, and full-bodied, with pear and apricot flavors. If you like whites, this is a great Italian wine to try instead of the always-safe Pinot Grigio.
The Moscato grape.
Asti is a wine made from the Moscato grape, but more specifically Moscato Bianco, or in France known as Moscat Blanc a Petit Grains. This grape produces lively sweet, frothy, low alcohol, and irresistible wine with peach and apricot flavors.
Moscato d’Asti is even lower in alcohol and higher in quality than Asti. It is made in tiny batches, has less fizz than Asti, and is more delicate.
Other wonderful things from Piedmont.
Vermouth.
It was first created in Piedmont in the 1700s with white or red wine infused with secret blends of more than 100 spices, bark, herbs, and flavorings. After the flavorings are infused, the wine is fortified, and brandy is added to raise the alcohol level to 15-21 percent. Vermouth is enjoyed as an aperitif and an essential ingredient in Martinis and Manhattan cocktails.
White Truffles.
The most sought-after truffles in the world are Piedmont’s white truffles; they can sell for $5000 a pound or more. White truffles can not be cultivated and are harvested using pigs and trained dogs to discover their whereabouts underground near the roots of poplar, oak, willow, linden, and hazelnut trees.
