Aosta Valley

 Location and structure of the Piedmont wine region

Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It borders Switzerland to the north, Lombardy and Liguria to the east and south, France to the west and the Aosta Valley region to the northwest. The viticulture is divided into the four sub-regions L'Astigiano, Le Langhe, Il Monferrato and Il Nord. Together they account for about 30 percent of the total area of Piedmont. 

Geography and climate in Piedmont

Piedmont's geographical position and climate are unique. To the north and west the region is shielded by the Alps and to the south by the Apennines. While in many places the icy cold Alps make it impossible to grow wine in the north, the opposite is true for the foothills of the Apennines. In the picturesque hilly south of the region, the cultivation of the vines is accordingly concentrated. 

The climate here is cooler than in other parts of Italy. The slightly lower temperatures, combined with the high number of hours of sunshine, ensure that the grapes can optimally develop their aroma potential in a prolonged ripening cycle. Another important factor for the growing conditions is the Po. It is responsible for the frequent fog in Piedmont, which has a positive effect on the wine's ripening process. This omnipresent fog has even been immortalized in the name of the Nebbiolo premium variety.

Terroir in Piedmont

The varied terroir gives the wine from Piedmont its extraordinary richness of flavors. Loamy soils, which favor the development of a multi-layered bouquet, are found as well as light sandy soils. Nebbiolo thrives on these soils, preferably for the varietal red wines Barolo and Barbaresco.

In terms of surface area, calcareous sandy soils account for the largest share, which in turn create excellent conditions for the Barbera grape. The result is a strong red wine with low tannin content, fruity aromas and a deep ruby red color.

Wineries and their wines in Piedmont

Fontanafredda is a traditional winery from the sub-region Le Lange, considered by many as the heart of Piedmont's viticulture. One of the most popular products is the Serralunga d'Alba Barolo DOCG of Fontanafredda. This single-variety dry red wine brings you the genuine character of the Nebbiolo grape, both representative and unique.

The Antoniolo winery offers outstanding varietal Nebbiolos from the north of Piedmont with its DOCG wine Gattinara. The Antoniolo family founded the winery in 1948 and is committed to cultivating the wine in a particularly natural way. The philosophy is also evident in the wine cellars, where, for example, maceration with indigenous yeasts takes place. 

The Villa Sparina winery is a good address for the genuine enjoyment of wines made from the Barbera grape. The Montej Rosso Monferrato DOC comes from here. As an alternative for the more demanding palate, the Rivalta Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG is also available. If you are looking for a first-class Dolcetto, you will find it in the Dolcetto d'Alba DOC of the Bruno Giacosa Winery. The name Dolcetto literally means "the little sweet one", which is quite misleading. Dolcetto is a prime example of a dry variety with a finely balanced character. 

If you are interested in a very good dry red cuvée from Piedmont, the Luvi Langhe Rosso DOC by Paolo Manzone is the perfect choice. Friends of the sweet taste will find the Serre Dolci Rosso from the Sartirano Figli winery a favourite delight for the palate.

The fact that Piedmont offers not only world-famous red wines but also exquisite white wines is proven by Bruno Giacosa with his Roero Arneis DOCG. With the Spumante Extra Brut Metodo Classico from Pinot Noir, the winery also knows how to delight friends of fine sparkling wines. This selection represents only a fraction of the popular wines from renowned wineries in Piedmont that you will find here at VINELLO. 

Interesting facts about Piedmont

How much Piedmont wine is produced per year?

The total amount of wine produced in Piedmont is between 2.4 million and 2.5 million hectoliters per year, which represents about 6% of the annual wine production in Italy. 

What is the area under vines for wine in Piedmont?

The area under vines in the Piedmont wine region is about 48,000 hectares or about 7 percent of the total area under vines in Italy.

What are the main varieties of red wine from Piedmont?

The three most important vines for Piedmont red wine are Barbera, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto. Of these three varieties, Barbera accounts for the largest volume, while Nebbiolo is considered by experts to be the highest quality vine in the wine region. Among the other red grape varieties cultivated are

• Freisa

• Bonarda

• Grignolino

• Croatina

• Quagliano

• Pelaverga

What are the main grape varieties for white wine from Piedmont?

Among the white grape varieties from Piedmont, the Moscato Bianco (Yellow Muscatel) grape dominates, which is used to a large extent for the popular Asti Spumante. Other important white varieties are Cortese and Arneis. Sauvignon Blanc, Cortese and Chardonnay are also cultivated.

Order Piedmont wines online at VINELLO

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