Piedmonte is northwest of Tuscany and borders France.
You may not have heard of Piedmonte before, but that’s okay. Remember, there are 20 wine regions in Italy and it’s your job to learn all about them. Luckily, we can boil down the most important things you need to know into a single paragraph or so.
The region of Piedmonte is northwest of the Tuscan region and borders France. This proximity gives Piedmonte wines a distinctly French style: they are made with mostly red grapes and produce dry whites that have an astringent taste. The climate is cool and rainy which is why this region produces so many red wines with deep color.
The region is known for its sparkling wines, including Moscato d’Asti.
Sparkling wines come in a variety of sweetness levels and can be produced using either the Charmat method or by the traditional method. Moscato d’Asti is one of the most well-known sparkling wines from Piedmont and is produced using the Charmat method. It’s known for its sweetness, low alcohol content (usually 5% to 7%) and production from a white muscat grape called Moscato Bianco.
Barolo and Barbaresco are also produced in Piedmonte.
- Barolo and Barbaresco are two wines produced in the Piedmont region of Italy.
- Nebbiolo grapes are used to make these wines, which are considered to be some of the finest wines in all of Italy.
These wines are made with Nebbiolo grapes, which have high acidity.
As you may know, Nebbiolo is the star grape of Piedmont. You will find it in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as lesser-known wines from the region such as Gattinara and Ghemme – all made with Nebbiolo grapes.
Nebbiolo (pronounced neh-bee-OH-lo) is a black grape with thick skins that can stand up to cold winters and late harvest seasons. It produces highly acidic wines that are tannic when young, but develop into some of the world’s most complex wines after aging for a few years.
Piedmont produces the most DOCG wines.
What you need to know is that DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita.
It is Italy’s highest-quality wine classification, which means that if you’re looking for an authentic Italian wine experience, nothing will satisfy your thirst quite like a DOCG.
Not only are the grapes used to make DOCG wines sourced from a specific region, but they must be grown according to strict standards and guidelines that govern things like vine density and pruning methods.
The bottling process must also follow certain regulations; this includes the shape of the bottle, the type of closure (cork or screw cap), and even how it’s labeled.
Barbera grapes are used to make Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba wines.
If you have ever wondered whether a wine varies based on the region it is made in, let me tell you: It absolutely does. An excellent example of this is Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba. These wines are both made from the same grape grown in the same soil, but they are very different wines.
Barbera d’Asti is made with grapes grown along the Tanaro River around Asti. These grapes often contain a lot of acidity and are much lighter than Barbera d’Alba grapes. The wines that result tend to be quite fresh, with bright cherry fruit and notes of licorice and violet. They are also low in tannins and alcohol, making them great summer wines.
Gavi is a white wine made from the Cortese grape.
You can find the Cortese grape grown in many places throughout Piedmont, but it’s known for its signature white wine “Gavi.” This wine is light and crisp, with a distinctive mineral flavor. It pairs well with fish dishes and seafood. White wines from the Cortese grape are also used to make sparkling wines.
Vermouth was invented in Italy in 1786.
Like most places, Vermouth is not a Piedmontese creation. But unlike its neighbors to the north and south, it was invented in Italy in 1786 by Antonio Benedetto Carpano. In America, however, Vermouth only became popular after bartenders began using it as a base for cocktails.
In fact, Vermouth is an aromatized wine which means it is infused with botanicals like sage, rosemary and coriander to give it its aromatic and bitter qualities (this is also why you see words such as ‘dry’ or ‘sweet’ used in describing types of Vermouth). It has been used in cooking since 15th century France when they would use it as an ingredient in meat-based dishes.
Wines from Piedmonte can be very different from one another.
Barolo, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo are all made with the same type of grape, but can be very different from one another. Barolos are usually aged longer than Barbarescos, making them a little more tannic and bold. Both wines have a similar flavor profile, but there are some differences that can be hard to pick up at first.
Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba also share some similarities. They’re both made with the same type of grape and have high acidity levels. But Barbera d’Asti has softer tannins than Barbera d’Alba, which means it pairs well with food.
Moscato d’Asti and Gavi are easy to confuse because they come from the same region and use similar production methods. Moscato is sweet while Gavi tends to be dryer due to its higher alcohol content (12% to 14%).