Whenever we talk about wines from Italy, invariably the wine mentioned is Chianti, probably the most known Italian wine region for decades.  However, there are numerous other regions to discover that produce fabulous wine and one of the largest is the region of Piedmont.

Located in the northwestern corner of Italy, Piedmont is situated on the alpine borders of Switzerland and France.  Literally translated as “the foot of the mountains”, Piedmont is a vast plain spreading out from the Alps, the Apennines and the Monferrato hills.  Ranked fifth in Italy in total wine production, 80% comes from the southern section of the Monferrato hills.  The chief grapevine here is Nebbiolo, which takes its name from Nebbia, meaning fog, which is in reference to the mist that settles in Piedmont every fall just as the grapes are ripening.  This is the grape, which is responsible for Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy’s most powerful wines.

There are also other significant plantings of Barbera, Dolcetto and Muscat.  Muscat is the grape which is responsible for one of the world’s most popular sparkling wines, Asti Spumante and the superb dessert wine, Moscato D’Asti.

The two most famous wines from Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco, take their names from the small towns near Alba.  The area of production is almost adjacent to each other with Barolo covering 25,000+ acres in the towns of Barolo, Castiglione, Monteforte d’ Alba, Verduno, and Diano D’Alba.  By contrast, BC has about 10,000 acres.  The smaller area of Barbaresco to the northeast covers the towns of Barbaresco, Alba, Neive and Canelli.

Of the two, Barolo is the more intense, slow to mature because of its pungency and masculinity.  It is big, muscular, brooding and unforgiving in its youth, high in alcohol and full of aromas of black fruit, dried herbs, tobacco and tar.  Barbaresco is always softer, more giving with sophistication and finesse, loaded with red fruit, cedar and violets.

The colours of both wines are a deep red with the Barolo being almost black at times eventually fading to a brownish mahogany colour with age.  The production techniques for both wines are similar except for Barolo, which is allowed to age in Slovenian oak barrels for at least 3 years, two of which must be in wood.  To qualify as a Riserva, the aging must increase to 5 years.

For a wine to be labelled as Barbaresco the aging is reduced to 2 years, one of which must be in wood and to qualify as a Riserva, the wine must age for 4 years.  It is during this time in the barrel that the wines shed the harshness of youth and begin the journey to becoming the majestic wines that they are.

Barolo is not known as “the wine of Kings, the King of wines” for nothing.  There was a time when tasting the new releases from Barolo and Barbaresco was the wine tasting equivalent of engaging in deadly battle. The intensity and aggressiveness of the wines were enough to defeat even the most seasoned palate and required numerous years of aging to tame the wine.  These were not meant for everyone but a Barolo or Barbaresco with considerable age to them is a pleasure to behold.

Barbera and Dolcetto, the other two red varieties from Piedmont, were until recently, traditionally made in a lighter, easy-drinking style. Now there is an emphasis on producing wines with concentration and depth to rival Barolo and Barbaresco. The key to achieve this is greater ripening, attained by planting the grape in choicer sites and aging in French oak instead of the traditional Slovenian.

Barbera makes dark wines that are low in tannins and the use of new French oak lends tannins of its own, giving this newer style of Barbera the balanced structure it needs to support the added richness.  The combination of acidity and tannins also makes these Barbera much more age-worthy than their predecessors.  Many of the wines made in this newer style are reminiscent of premium Zinfandel: dark fruits and creamy chocolate flavours with gentle tannins.

The unsung hero of Piedmont, Dolcetto is not as complex or as rich as Barolo but it is a reasonably priced, delicious wine made by almost all of the great producers of the area.  Typically, the colour is a deep purple to ruby red, a result of lengthy exposure to the skins, with a very intense aroma of dark fruits and sometimes a hint of almond in the bouquet.  The tannins are relatively high but soft and well integrated, giving the wine a velvety texture.  While the wine is lower in acidity than its regional counterparts (Barbera and Nebbiolo), it has great fruit to balance the typically higher levels of alcohol.  The finish usually has a delicious, if slightly bitter, aftertaste similar to that of a bitter cocoa.

The most important thing to know about Dolcetto is that it is made to complement Northern Italian cuisine and while it is not easy to find in retail stores, there is usually at least one Dolcetto on the wine list of most Italian restaurants.  Since it does have a unique flavour, not everyone will like it but the next time you have Italian food, try a Dolcetto and you might just find your new favourite Italian wine.

The other well-known Piedmontese wines are Asti Spumante and Moscato D‘Asti.  Asti Spumante is a sweet, slightly flowery sparkling wine produced from Moscato Bianco and with its very low alcohol, large amount of sugar and its fresh supply of bubbles, it’s the perfect partner for a simply celebration.

Moscato D’Asti is also from Moscato Bianco and these wines are always low in alcohol (5.5% maximum), remarkably fruity and fragrant and just sweet enough that some consider them a lovely wine as either an aperitif or a dessert wine. Delicate, light on the palate and with just the hint of musky aromas, some even consider Moscato D’Asti as the perfect wine with breakfast.

As Julia Child would say if she were in Italy, Buon Appetito.

Piedmont Wine Picks:

A rich, sturdy wine, the 2006 Fontanafredda Barbaresco ($45) is brimming with plummy blackberries, black cherry, licorice, cedar, truffles, vanilla and cocoa.  An incredible, relatively great value Piedmontese wine, all the components are well proportioned with this wine, never one over-shadowing the other, from the aromas of cedar and cherries to the flavours of ripe fruit and vanilla.  The palate is supple, rich and round, making for an extremely easy-to-drink Barbaresco.  Drink now–2020.

A meaty, savoury wine, full of spice and pepper, the 2007 Fontanafredda Barolo ($50)  is powerful and intense with aromas of ripe prunes, black cherry, roses, licorice, truffles, leather and tar.  Deep and concentrated but not overpowering, the palate is loaded with rich black fruit, spice, tobacco, smoke and cedar and a long finish with spice, dried herbs and berry flavours towards the end.  This wine demands roasted meats, zesty pasta sauces. An excellent candidate for the cellar, it will reward with another 5-8 years of cellaring.

Produced from 100% Nebbiolo, the main grape of Piedmont, the 2007 Fontanafredda Serralunga Barolo ($70) is a stunning example of this variety’s complexity.  A very perfumed wine with intense aromas of rich black raspberry, blackcurrant, strawberry jam, licorice, tar and tobacco leaf with hints of rose petal, dried herbs and oriental spice.  The texture is silky, velvety smooth with lush acidity and firm, full-bodied tannins; this is a huge wine for the price.  Look to pay much more for a wine of this complexity if you can find it.  Enjoy now or cellar for another decade.

The 2011 San Silvestro Barbera Ottone 1 ($14) is a deep, dense Barbera packed with jammy dark fruit.  The wine shows excellent balance in the firm style that is typical for the wines of Asti.  Dark, brooding notes of smoke and tar add further complexity on the close. Has enough stuffing to cellar for another 3-5 years