Exploring the Piedmont Region of Italy and its Wines
This week, our virtual tour of Italian regions growing lesser-known grapes brings us to one seemingly forgotten (or avoided) by the Renaissance. Lacking the major architectural relics of other regions, or a history of fine art, this region is not a magnet for the typical tourist.
However, in my opinion, this region, more than any other, exemplifies Italian culture in its simplest, yet most evocative, embodiment. The sophistication here is in the personalities of its residents, in its cuisine and in its wines.
Our focus this week is on the grapes of Piedmont.
Its residents have elevated basic farming and local cuisine to a fine arts plateau. Whether foraging in the forests for aromatic truffles that rival the allure of precious 10th century Venetian spices, or crafting robust, world-renowned wines that rival, even surpass, the fabled wines of Tuscany, these Piemontese (as the locals are called) have honed an innate Sprezzatura (the art of effortless mastery). This gift is evident in their precious, but elusive, white truffles (currently commanding up to $200 – per ounce) and their magnificent, hand-crafted wines.
Sitting in northwest Italy, at the foot of the Alps, bordering France and Switzerland, Piedmont is favored with a unique climate of foggy days and cool nights, ideal factors for rich, robust wines. When I think of Piedmont, I think of Tuscany on steroids: lush hills, yet more numerous and crowned with ancient fortresses; quaint towns dating to Medieval times, but still exuding the rustic spirit of those ancient times, unlike the tourist-influenced atmosphere in several Tuscan cities.
On to the indigenous grapes. First the reds:
- Nebbiolo. Certainly not a lesser-known grape, I would be remiss not to mention “the King of wines and the wine of Kings.” These wines bear the names of the localities in which they are produced: primarily Barolo and Barbaresco. I compare this small area to the Burgundy region of France: numerous small plots farmed by multiple generations of family winemakers who are fanatical about the quality of their wines. Mature wines are complex with rounded tannins, plus aromas and flavors redolent of the very forests and soil in which the Nebbiolo grape thrives.
- Barbera. The wine produced from this grape, the most prolific in the entire region, is what the Piemontese drink while their Barolos and Barbarescos are maturing in the wine cellars. The wines are produced in several subregions, including, by geographic location: Barbera d’Asti, Barbera d’Alba and Barbera del Monferrato. These are earthy wines, with an exceptional balance of fruit and acidity. Aromas of black cherries and plums, with hints of pungent mushrooms, make them excellent for pairing with wild game and rich sauces.
- Dolcetto. A fruity bouquet of black cherries with a hint of chocolate make for a fresh wine to be consumed young. Pair it with rich tomato-sauced pastas; a perfect pizza wine.
- Brachetto. A sweet, red sparkling version, Brachetto d’Acqui, is the most popular expression of this grape.
Other reds produced in much lesser quantities include Grignolino, Freisa, Quagliano, Bonarda, Vespolina and Pelaverga.
On to the whites:
- Moscato. An increasingly popular wine in the United States, Moscato d’Asti is slightly effervescent and favored by sweet-wine lovers, while Asti Spumante is a sweet, more effervescent version.
- Cortese. More famously known by the locale in which it is most prolific – Gavi – this light, crisp wine with hints of citrus and pear pairs well with mild Mediterranean fish.
- Arneis. Don’t like highly acidic wines? Arneis had been lost in obscurity as a vapid, simple wine. It has been recently resurrected as a crisp, medium-bodied wine with aromas of almonds and peaches – and still low in acid. It is excellent with light chicken and fish dishes.
Other whites include Erbaluce, Favorita and the previously obscure Timorasso, resurrected in the 1970s.
The Piedmont region, long famous for its signature lusty Nebbiolos, is reaching out to the American market with wines that are eminently pleasing to the American palate. Add several of these to your must-buy list.
Nick Antonaccio is a 45-year Pleasantville resident. For over 25 years, he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick is a member and Program Director of the Wine Media Guild of wine journalists. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine
