Piedmont, tucked into Italy's cool, foggy northwest at the foot of the Alps, is home to some of the country's most prestigious wines. Nebbiolo makes the powerful, age-worthy Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbera and Dolcetto supply everyday reds, and Moscato Bianco produces the region's famous sweet sparkling wines.
Grapes grown here
Sub-regions
Asti
Asti is Piedmont's sweet, aromatic sparkling wine appellation, made using the tank (Charmat) method to preserve fresh floral and peach fruit while keeping alcohol low. It has shed an older reputation for cloying sweetness, now balancing sugar with bright acidity.
Barbaresco
Barbaresco lies just south of Barolo along the Tanaro River, where a slight maritime influence lets Nebbiolo ripen a little earlier. The result is a wine with softer tannins and more immediate elegance than its Barolo neighbor, with styles ranging from light and aromatic to powerful and tannic depending on the sub-zone.
Barolo
Barolo, made in the cooler, higher-elevation vineyards of Piedmont's Serralunga and Central valleys, is a DOCG built entirely on Nebbiolo. Its wines are pale in color but intensely tannic and aromatic, with classic notes of tar and roses, and typically need years of aging before they soften.
Gattinara
Gattinara, from hillside vineyards above the Sesia River in northern Piedmont, produces long-lived Nebbiolo-based reds (locally called Spanna) that were historically prized even above Barolo for their aging potential. Extended barrel and bottle maturation gives the wines added complexity and structure.