Piedmont, Langhe, Nebbiolo, Barolo and Barbaresco.

Surely you have heard of the most famous Italian wine, Barolo, which is also the name of a commune in Piedmont. We are going to tell you all about it so that you get to know the wines of the region in a quick and simplified way.

Piedmont is a region in the north-east of Italy whose capital is Turin, bounded by the Alps to the north and east, where it borders France and Switzerland, and by the Ligurian Sea to the south.

Famous for its truffles but also for its wines, it is in the mountainous region of Langhe that we find the most important cities, Asti and Alba. The first famous for its sparkling wine, the second around which lie the most important Denominations of Origin (DO), Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG, where wines of the same name are produced from the Nebbiolo grape variety.

Although Nebbiolo is the most acclaimed grape variety, Dolcetto and Barbera are actually the most traditional red grape varieties in the region, and their wines are commonly found at Piedmontese tables.

 

What is the difference between a Barolo and a Barbaresco?

Both correspond to a DO, with delimited geographical limits, defined production and ageing standards, and made exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape variety.

Barolo

In this DO we find the 5 most important communes for the production of Barolo wines - La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Serralunga d'Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the commune of Barolo - which can only be released to the market in January of the 4th year after the grape harvest and must age for a minimum of 38 months of which 18 months in wood.

Barbaresco 

In this DO we find the 4 communes where a Barbaresco wine can be produced - Neive, Trieso, San Rocco Seno d'Elvio and the commune of Barbaresco - which can only be released to the market in January of the 3rd year after the harvest, obeying a minimum ageing period of 26 months of which 9 months in wood, being less perfumed than Barolo but more fruity.

So, when you find the reference Barolo or Barbaresco, on a label, you will know that it is a 100% Nebbiolo varietal wine produced in one of the communes of its DO, with defined production rules, minimum ageing time and great ageing potential which can be in large Slavonian oak barrels –Botti (traditional ageing) - or in French oak barrels.

 

What are the characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape variety?

It is a late ripening caste, with high levels of acidity and tannins, of little colour, 0riginating wines that may have notes:

Primary: Floral notes like roses and dried flowers, fruity notes like sour cherry, plum, currant or strawberry, herbaceous notes like dried grass, lavender and fennel, and spicy notes like white and black pepper or liquorice.

Secondary: Aging in wood can impart notes of tobacco, cigarette and smoke.

Tertiary: and bottle ageing will produce tertiary notes of leather, truffle, tar, meat and mushrooms.

 

What does the term Riserva mean in a Barolo or Barbaresco?

In exceptional years, producers may opt to produce a Barolo or a Barbaresco Riserva, which is aged for a longer period (5 years) and generally has a higher alcohol content, constituting a wine of excellence in an also excellent year.

What other names can appear on wine labels?

Where wines are made from grapes from a single vineyard, the name of the vineyard will appear on the label, as well as when the grapes come from the same commune, the name of that commune may appear on the label.

The example will be Barolo Serralunga d'Alba (Commune) Costabella (Vineyard).

What about the wines that are produced from Nebbiolo, which are neither Barolo nor Barbaresco?

You will find many wines from the Nebbiolo grape variety labelled Langhe DOC Nebbiolo.

These wines may be produced with grapes from the DO of Barolo or Barbaresco that are not used to produce aBarolo DOCG or a Barbaresco DOCG, , in cases where the viticultural year was not good enough to produce a quality Barolo or a Barbaresco and the producer chooses to downgrade "the category" to Langhe DOC, or in cases where the allowed production quotas were exceeded. They can also be produced when the vineyards are within the DO of Langhe but outside the Barolo DOCG or Barbaresco DOCG.

In a simplified way, we will have Barolo and Barbaresco Riserva as the wines of exceptional quality, followed by the non-Riserva, and finally Langhe Nebbiolo, in which the quality may vary from reasonable to very good.

 

Sweet treat

Dolcetto is the most popular red grape variety in Piedmont, which is generically considered the "everyday" wine of the region. However, we can find Dolcetto of higher quality, usually labelled Superiore.

It produces wines with medium acidity and medium to high tannins, fruity aromas of black plum, red cherry, dried grass and sometimes pepper, and is generally produced to be drunk young, or selected for ageing.

Barbera

Barbera is also a very popular red grape variety and widely planted in the Piedmont region.Barbera d´Asti DOCG is considered to be of higher quality than Barbera d´Alba DOC, since around Alba are the DOs ofBarolo and Barbaresco, and the best slopes are reserved for the planting of Nebbiolo. However, there are exceptions where we can find Barbera d´Alba wines of great quality.

It produces wines with high acidity, medium to low tannins, deep colour, plum and red cherry aromas and sometimes black pepper. They can be drunk young or selected for ageing.

 

What white grape varieties can we find in the region?

We can find indigenous white grape varieties such as Arneis, Cortese, Timorasso or Moscatobut also international ones such as Sauvignon Blanc ou a Chardonnay.

Arneis – Produces wines with medium acidity, aromas that can range from herbaceous, green apple, tangerine and white flowers to pear and stone fruit, an excellent choice as a social wine or to accompany fish dishes and salads.

Cortese – It produces wines with high acidity, with aromas of citrus fruits, green apple, pear and white flowers, and may develop tertiary notes of almonds with ageing.

Timorraso – An almost extinct grape variety in the 1980s, it produces aromatic wines with acidity and structure, with a high potential for evolution in the bottle.

Moscato (Muscat) – Widely used for the production of ASTI sparkling wines.

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