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Ahhhhhh……Piedmont Piedmonts special terroir is not only famous for its vine plantings, which produce some of, the best wines in the world, but it is also known worldwide for its cultivation and gastronomic success of White Truffles, the village of Alba holds and annual Truffle festivals attended by renowned chefs and tourists. For the gourmand, Piedmont ranks among the top destinations on the globe!

Historically, France was a significant viticultural influence in the Piedmont region. During the Italian Reunification of the 19th century, Piedmont winemakers and landowners changed direction by introducing methods such as the Bordeaux mixture method to control the spread of oidium that was ravaging the area's vineyards. Some landowners went abroad to study French viticultural techniques and this shows today when one experiences the master Piedmont wines, such as Barolos and Barbarescos with no blending, and other varietals with minimum blending.

When one hears that the Nebbiolo grape is named after Nebbia, Italian for autumn mist, one cannot help but to find out more about the origins of this grape. Piedmont in North West Italy bordering France and Switzerland is peculiar in its plantings in that less than five percent of vineyards are classified as flat. It is composed of slopes of vines at different altitudes, facing different directions which bode well for the different microclimates found in the vineyards. For example in 2002, the early-ripening Dolcetto came off well, while the Nebbiolo a late ripening grape (harvest usually takes place in early mid to October) had to contend with chilly weather and excess rain. Piedmont´s seasonal climate, a very hot growing season followed by misty autumns and cold and foggy winters places Nebbiolo wines in first place among the few most structured wines in the entire world. Piedmont is a wine lovers dream whether one is enjoying a DOCG Barolo and Barbaresco Cru wines, a Dolcetto d´Alba, DOCG Gavi o DOCG Asti Spumante, the list goes on…

Barolo and Barbaresco, made from Nebbiolo are the most popular wines from Piedmont. The region of Barolo is located south west of Alba and the terroir consist of calcareous-clay. Barolo is aged for long periods (at least two years) in large oak casks and a further year in the bottle. When Barolo´s fully mature its bouquet is quite distinctive with rose petal, strawberry fruit aromas, and notes of mushroom, autumn leaves, tar, leather and sometimes white truffle on the palate. Barolo´s latest key vintages are 2001 and 2004. Barbaresco is smaller in acreage than Barolo, the wines tends to a bit lighter in body yet as complex as Barolo, less austere and more approachable younger, it has lesser minimum aging requirements, in character the wine develops into flavors of raspberries, leather and spice, leafy lightness on jam-like concentration and Barbaresco´s key vintages1996, and 2001.

The region produces other wines such as Barbera, Brachetto, Dolcetto, Grignolino, Freisa, Moscato, Roero and Gavi. Made from Dolcetto and Barbera (2 of the best red grapes, after the Nebbiolo) and Cortese (a white varietals used to make the deliciously fresh Gavi di Gavi wines) and another native white called "Arneis", known for being highly perfumed and delicate.

Whether one is enjoying Gaja, Pio Cesare, Bruno Giacosa 2004's, or Vietti Barbera de Alba Tre Vigne 2006 medium bodied with floral and berry aromas, Puncet Dolcetto d'Alba with notes of red fruit and chocolate on the finish or the citrus and floral notes balanced with yellow fruits complexity of Roero Arneis 2007, one can be sure to be more than satisfied.

Nidya Garcia de Roche

Ph: 1-800-434-9463

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