Wine Country: Italy

Wine Subregion: Piemonte

Thank goodness there are people like Christoph Kunzli in the world; people who value time-honored winemaking traditions while, at the same time, have the energy, passion and vision to bring great wines to the attention of modern-day wine lovers.  Without them, much of the wonderful diversity of the world of wine would be lost in a sea of conformity.
Take for instance the amazing wines of Kunzli’s Le Piane estate, located in the Boca appellation of northeast Piemonte, not far from Lake Maggiore.  When Christoph first discovered the property back in 1988, Antonio Cerri, the then eighty-year old owner, was ready to retire with no family to take over the winery and the vineyards which, over the years, had fallen into some disrepair.  In many places, the surrounding forest had reclaimed the land, over-running the hillside vineyards, many of which were home to some of the oldest vines in the region.  Christoph fell in love with the area, a strikingly beautiful, though remote and rugged region framed by the lower Italian Alps and blessed with a near-perfect climate for growing quality wine grapes and a unique combination of volcanic and gravel soils for making wines of character.  He convinced Cerri to sell the estate to him and began a decade-long labor of love to reconstitute the vineyards and upgrade the winery.  Fortunately, he was able to save some of the old vines while replanting others with Nebbiolo, as well as the local Vespolina and Croatina grapes.
The most important wine that Le Piane makes is the Boca DOC, an intense blend of Nebbiolo and Vespolina, produced in a dark, brawny style that requires lots of bottle age to mature.  It’s a unique red wine with a history that goes back to Roman times.  Fortunately, Le Piane makes a brighter, more forward red wine that drinks beautifully in its youth, a lovely and delicious wine to enjoy while you’re waiting for your Boca to develop.  The wine is called ‘maggiorina’, a blend of up to 12 different local varieties, sourced from 25 different vineyard plots.  The name refers to the trellising system that was once employed in the vineyards; training four vines to form a cup of fruiting branches; a local tradition that goes back centuries. 
The Le Piane maggiorina beautifully captures the essence of the region with its rustic spicy character and savory fruit.  The 2021 has just been released and it’s really quite remarkable, a serious red wine that is seriously underpriced.  With nice weight, texture and balance, the maggiorina is a MUST for any wine lover who wants to celebrate the phenomenal diversity of wine and, in particular, Italian wine.  Great with simple barbecue, roast pork and just about anything else you can image!  Kudos to Christoph Kunzli and Le Piane! – Frank Rothstein, Minister of Value