Piemonte Wine Region

Any serious discussion of fine Italian wine and food has got to include a substantial treatise on the incredible cornucopia of the Piemonte region in northwest Italy.  Second only to Sicily in terms of size and home to dozens of DOC and DOCG wines, Piemonte boasts the famous red wines of Barolo and Barbaresco and dozens of other high quality table wines as well as an amazing array of incredible food.  Truthfully, you can devote an entire lifetime studying, analyzing and enjoying the amazing quality and variety of the regional wines, including sparkling, white, rose, red and, of course, dessert wines.  Like so many of Italy’s wine producing areas (virtually the entire country) Piemonte produces the whole gamut of wines under appellations that are for the most part quite well recognized by wine drinkers.  Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti are two of the most popular sparkling sweet wines with Gavi and Arneis representing the dry white category.  Red wines, including Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo are the heavy lifters in dry red wines but there are other treasures in store for the curious-minded wine drinker.  The region also makes wonderful Amaro (bitter) liqueur, vermouth, dry sparkling wine in the ‘Champagne’ method, modern red blends using Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and, in recent years, an emerging and very exciting artisanal beer industry.

One reason for the incredible bounty of fine wine appellations in Piemonte is the geography: hills and mountains account for over 70% of the land mass.  Surrounded on three sides by the Swiss and French Alps, Piemonte (“foot of the mountains”) enjoys near-perfect conditions for growing quality wine grapes thanks to the elevation and orientation of these abundant hillside locations.  The soil, a diverse mix of calcareous marl (limestone), clay and sandstone, is also a contributing factor to the finely structured wines, both red and white.  Finally, one has to factor in the unique climatic conditions that help to shape the character of the regional wines.  Located approximately 30 miles inland from the Ligurian Sea, Piemonte basks in plenty of sunshine during the growing season but benefits from the cooling influence of the nearby Mediterranean, often layering the vineyards in morning fog and creating an eerie, otherworldly landscape.  The Italian word for ‘fog’ is ‘nebbia’ so it’s no accident then that the name of Piemonte’s most important red wine variety is Nebbiolo, and it’s these grapes that thrive in this wonderful combination of soil, climate and time-honored winemaking tradition. 

Of course, Piemonte is more than just hillsides and vineyards.  The broad plains of central Piemonte are an important agricultural region producing a significant amount of grain, nuts and vegetables as well as supporting a vital cattle industry.  The region is therefore a center of culinary excellence, famous for its risotto, white truffles, fonduta (a local variation of fondue) and the lean but tender Piemontese beef.  Beyond things pertaining to the soil, Piemonte is also home to the Fiat Motor Group, which is headquartered in Turin.  Their long-time presence has spawned a number of satellite industries but thanks to an abundance of hydroelectric power, the region has seen tremendous growth in the electronics, communications and textile industries. 

With a relatively sparse population and incredible beauty at nearly every turn, Piemonte is a great place to visit and, as a result, tourism is among the region’s most widespread and prosperous enterprises.  For history buffs, there are numerous medieval fortresses to visit but for relaxation and recreation there are plenty of spa resorts and ski areas to enjoy.  (Torino hosted the 2006 Winter Olympic Games) Lake Maggiore, northwest of Milano, and Lake Como in nearby Lombardy are famous destinations for vacationers from around the world.  Finally, and more important to our interests, wine tourism in Piemonte offers visitors an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most dynamic and progressive winemakers and to experience the almost magical beauty of their spectacular vineyards. 

Piemonte and its inhabitants generally have a very cosmopolitan outlook when it comes to art, architecture, fashion, food and wine.  Far from being insular or parochial, their willingness to look beyond their own borders allows them to function on a global scale as evidenced by the fame of the regional wines, which are known and appreciated throughout the world.  Perhaps this sophisticated attitude comes from a long history of foreign intervention with cultural influences from diverse sources.  In fact, the region’s past is as colorful and interesting as its future. 

What we now call Piemonte was initially a region settled by Celtic and Ligurian tribes.  Being an important crossroads to the north, at various stages throughout its history the area was occupied by the Romans, Burgundians, Goths, Byzantines, Lombards, Franks and more dramatically, by the House of Savoy.  This influential family was a major political force in its day and despite its Gallic roots held sway over a large part of Italy right up to the unification in modern times.  Their wealth and power was such that they were able to establish Torino as the capital city of the Savoy Empire long before Florence came to dominant the political landscape.  To this day, a great deal of the architecture in the city of Torino can be directly attributed to the House of Savoy and its lineage.  Their influence also set the stage for what was to become modern Piemontese cuisine.

Getting back to things wine related I’d like to list the major red and white wines that you’re apt to find on the shelves of any well-stocked wine merchant.  It’s possible, of course, to devote an entire encyclopedia to Italian wines but this list will be more concise for obvious reasons.  Like most Italian regions, the wines can be named after the grape variety OR the region.  It’s up to you to do a little research and find out which is which but as a helpful hint, I have italicized the appellations.  Thanks so much, enjoy the wines. 

White Wine DOCs and grapes

Arneis                                                 Malvasia                                 Moscato

Gavi                                                    Erbaluce                                  Timorasso

Cortese                                                Favorita                                   Chardonnay

Red Wine DOCGs and grapes