Wines of Piedmont: The best wines of Piedmont at unbeatable prices

Piedmont is one of Italy's most important wine-growing regions: it boasts no less than 52,000 hectares of land devoted to vines, with numerous wines that can boast DOCG and DOC status. It is a very old wine production dating back to the Greeks, who not only imported wine, but also started to cultivate their own vines there. Undoubtedly, this was helped not only by the soil consisting of sedimentary rocks, but above all by the continental climate characterised by cold winters and hot summers with significant temperature fluctuations that allowed the various grape varieties to flourish. Undoubtedly, the most important grape variety is Nebbiolo, also known as ' spanna ' in reference to an ancient method of cultivation called 'a spanna'. In addition to this vine, dolcetto, barbera, muscat, brachetto, malvasia, croatina, grignolino, uva rara and also international vines are of great importance. It is the Langhe area that represents the most important wine growing area, followed by Monferrato, Roero, Colline Tortonesi, Canavese, Colline Novaresi and Colline Torinesi. xtraWine dedicates a large section to typical Piedmontese wines, offering you the possibility to choose between fine Piedmontese red wines, sparkling Piedmontese wines or classic white wines, all of which have received important awards from Bibenda, Gambero Rosso, Veronelli and AIS. Among the wines on offer you can also choose from the best vintages dating back to 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 all from important producers such as: Marchesi di Barolo, Fontanafredda, Enrico Serafino, cantina Antinori, La Spinetta and Rocche Costamagna. As Piedmontese wines have a wide range of flavours depending on the sandy and clay soil, they can be paired with first courses, meat dishes, shellfish and desserts as they are able to enhance the aromas and flavours of each dish.

The Great Reds: Protagonists of the Territory

Piedmont is recognised the world over for its great expressions of red wines from red grape varieties such as Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. However, there are also lesser known but equally typical and important grapes, such as Freisa, Grignolino, Vespolina, Pelaverga Piccolo, Brachetto and Ruché. Each area of the region boasts its own peculiarities and the presence of typical grapes.

Piedmont's most famous red wines come to life in the Langhe, a hilly area on the orographic right of the Tanaro river, in the province of Cuneo, with Alba as its economic, historical and cultural centre. From Nebbiolo grapes come the great expressions of Barolo and Barbaresco in limited and prestigious territories, while Langhe Doc Nebbiolo is produced throughout the area. Barbera d 'Alba and Dolcetto d'Alba also have their own prominent position, along with Pelaverga di Verduno.

The Excellence of Dolcetto

The best expressions of Dolcetto are those of Diano d'Alba and Dogliani Docg. Moving to the left of the Tanaro river, we encounter the Roero, an area with a strong vocation for Nebbiolo. Monferrato Astigiano, on the other hand, is the realm of Barbera, which reaches excellence in the DOCGs of Barbera d'Asti and Nizza, but also in DOC versions such as Barbera Piemonte, a product particularly sought after for its aromatic nuances.

To the south, in the province of Alessandria, inAlto Monferrato, we find treasures such as Dolcetto Ovada Docg, Grignolino, Freisa, Barbera and the aromatic Bracchetto d'Acqui. In Canavese, an area of high hills, Nebbiolo expresses itself magnificently on the terraces of Carema, while on the hills of Vercelli, Biella and Novara, it is called Spanna, reaching qualitative peaks in robust territorial expressions such as Bramaterra, Lessona, Gattinara, Ghemme and Boca.

The Expression in White Wines of Piedmont

The region's whites do not yet enjoy the international fame of the reds, but they are experiencing an important qualitative turnaround. The Piedmont region is rich in native white grape varieties.Arneis is perhaps the best known white grape variety, an ancient and characteristic grape brought to the fore by historic producers such as Ceretto and Giacosa since the 1980s. Today it is the pride of Roero, with the famous Roero Arneis Docg.

The Triumph of Moscato

In the Asti area and on the border between the Langhe and Monferrato, Moscato Bianco di Canelli is very popular, vinified in both sparkling and semi-sparkling versions in the Asti Docg, a denomination known throughout the world and which has become synonymous with festivity and conviviality. Another white protagonist is Timorasso dei Colli Tortonesi, which produces a complex and characteristic white wine with extraordinary longevity.

In Alto Piemonte and Canavese, on the other hand, Erbaluce dominates, both in dry and passito versions, enhanced by the prestigious Erbaluce di Caluso Docg denomination.

The Region's Historical Producers

The history of Piedmontese wine dates back to ancient times, with the region having demonstrated a great vocation for quality production since Roman times. In the 19th century, thanks to the passion of Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour and the Marchesa di Barolo, the first Barolo wines were born. In the 20th century, mythological producers like Bartolo Mascarello and Giacomo Conterno left an indelible mark, followed by young winemakers like Elio Altare and Roberto Voerzio.

New Generations and Prestigious Winemakers

Angelo Gaja and Bruno Giacosa have brought prestige to Barbaresco, while many other producers have reached lofty heights of quality. Today, thanks to the enhancement of the territory, the most vocated areas, or Additional Geographical Mentions, have been defined: 66 for Barbaresco and 181 for Barolo.

Other historic Piedmont producers such as Coppo and Braida in Monferrato, the Produttori di Carema in Canavese, Tenute Sella and, in the southernmost part of the region, Walter Massa, have contributed to the revival of varieties such as Barbera, Nebbiolo, Erbaluce and Timorasso.

Discover the Great Wines of Piedmont on xtraWine

Enter xtraWine and discover a vast selection of Piedmontese wines on sale online and on offer at special prices, perfect for unique pairings that will enhance your every dish and excellent for any convivial occasion. Buy now and immerse yourself in the richness and diversity of the great reds and refined whites of Piedmont.

Production area
Piedmont
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Piedmont

Country name Italy
History Piedmont is a region that boasts a rich history, with its roots in ancient times when the Etruscans settled. In the 11th century, it also became part of the Holy Roman Empire. In particular, it was home to many different noble families until the 15th century.
Perc hill 30
Perc mountain 43
Perc plain 27
Perc red grape 68
Perc white grape 32
Producers count 30000
Soil and climate In the alpine area it is very cold. But the climate in the plains is continental, that is to say cold and often dry winters, hot summers, spring and winter rains. Often there are fog formations as it is characteristic in the Po Valley. The climate is mild on the banks of the lakes.
Surface area 25400
Typical dishes The technique of producing one of the most essential and sought-after delicacies is a Piedmontese tradition. Among these are the well-known Agnolotti del Plin. The term derives from the movements used to close the pasta. Agnolotti can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including lean roasted meat minced with spices or vegetables and fragrant herbs. They are served with either a roast sauce or a truffle sauce. Cannelloni alla Babaroux (after the name of its inventor) is another popular meal composed of crepes made of milk, flour, and eggs that are rolled up and fried in the oven. The fondue created with fontina cheese, delicately melted and often embellished with flakes of white truffle, is likewise quite distinctive. Another traditional Piedmont meal is Brasato al Barolo, which is beef marinated and gently cooked in Barolo wine.
Typical products Nebbiolo is the most noble grape of Piedmont, and it is grown in four of the seven DOCG districts of Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, and Ghemme. The most important example of Piedmontese Nebbiolo wines is Barolo. The young barolo generally has a deep crimson one that clears fast with age. Barbaresco is often a lighter wine than Barolo. Barbaresco is supposed to be a feminine Barolo, more graceful, with more fruit and charm. Gattinara, grown on the right bank of the Sesia River, is youthful and robust, but after a few years in the bottle softens and gains charm and refinement, with a violet note on the nose. Barbera produces a wine with a simpler character than Nebbiolo, with high acidity but a relatively low tannin and extract concentration. The tannin concentration in Dolcetto wines, "il piccolo dolce," varies greatly, but unlike Barbera wines, Dolcetto wines are frequently light with low acidity and a fragrance of black cherries and bitter almonds. Grignolino produces a wine that seems to be rosé. The term grignolino comes from the native word "grignole," which translates to "vinacciolo" in the local dialect. Bracchetto makes the wine of the same name, Bracchetto D'Acqui DOCG, in both sparkling and non-sparkling varieties. Cortese (also known as Courteis) is a white grape planted in the region of Alessandria from which the Gavi DOCG is made. Cortese is a delicate fragrant wine with a light, harmonious, and nuanced flavour. Moscato Bianco is used to make Asti Spumante, or Asti sparkling wine. It received the DOCG designation in 1993, together with Moscato D'Asti.
Vineyard hectare 52412