Piedmont

A Sauvignon from Piedmont that doesn't overwhelm, but rather calmly tells a story – of gentle hills, morning mist and cool altitude. Tra Donne Sole, named after a novella by Cesare Pavese, plays quietly but impressively with the typicality of the grape variety. The grapes come from selected vineyards with calcareous soils that give the wine freshness and structure. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves precision and flavour. Pale straw yellow in the glass. The nose reveals clear aromas of lime, gooseberry and whitecurrant, accompanied by elderflower, freshly cut grass and a hint of passion fruit. The palate is lively but finely characterised, with juicy fruit, well-integrated acidity and a surprisingly elegant, slightly mineral final. A Piedmontese Sauvignon with finesse – unpretentious, fresh and absolutely enjoyable to drink. A white wine with a literary name and clear character. SUPERIORE.DE

Sparkling like a sunny day on the plain, this Barbera immediately radiates joie de vivre without drawing attention to itself loudly – the name Rosso Fuoco, meaning red wine of fire, carries its poetic part with dignity. The grapes are organically grown on gently undulating limestone-clay soil in Astigiano. Gentle manual harvesting, stainless steel processing and spontaneous ageing give the wine clarity and vitality, while the plump fruitiness remains uncomplicated.

The Roero region has long been the quiet sister of Barolo – but with wines like this, it is clear that great stories are also being told here. Villata comes from selected vineyards in the heart of the Roero, where the calcareous and sandy soils give the Arneis its fine signature. The grapes are harvested early in the morning, matured in stainless steel and remain on the fine lees until bottling – this preserves freshness, precision and fine texture.

Imagine a morning over the Canavese hills – fine dew, fresh air and the scent of flowers. Merlana captures precisely this clarity in the glass. The grapes come from the steep slopes of the Serra di Ivrea. After harvest, they are fermented cool and matured in stainless steel tanks without the influence of wood – in the name of varietal purity and precision. The colour in the glass is a clear straw yellow with a greenish tinge, as if the light of dawn is dancing on it. The bouquet opens with notes of white peach, meadow flowers, fresh hay and a hint of jasmine. The palate is clear as a bell, with lively acidity, citrus-fresh elegance and salty minerality. Everything appears tidy, light-footed and yet very expressive. An authentic, straightforward white wine from Piedmont that delights with its alpine lightness and the finesse of Erbaluce – ideal as an aperitif, with asparagus or fine fish. SUPERIORE.DE

A Gavi that sits immediately on the palate – fresh, clear and elegant. Cortese from sun-drenched, high-altitude slopes around Gavi, pressed in stainless steel and designed to present freshness and minerality in crystal-clear form. Full concentration on the terroir. Straw yellow in the glass. A lively, aromatic bouquet of ripe apple, yellow pear, white flowers and a fine citrus note, complemented by a delicate hint of spring herbs and limestone. Taut yet soft on the palate. The fruit is juicy, the lively acidity adds tension and a subtle saline-mineral tone gives the wine structure. The finish is harmonious, clear and fresh, almost dancingly elegant. A (not only) summery all-rounder that is an instant delight – ideal with antipasti, white fish, asparagus or simply on its own with the first glass of the evening after work. SUPERIORE.DE

Fresh wine with a Piedmontese soul: This Dolcetto develops a deep ruby red colour with a violet shimmer in the glass. The nose reveals inviting violet flowers and a fruity cherry flavour. Full-bodied and smooth on the palate, with fresh acidity and a slightly bitter almond note on the finish – typical of Dolcetto and interpreted in a very classic way here. The wine matured for twelve months in stainless steel tanks, which gives it freshness and a clear fruit structure. An everyday wine with a strong character and a regional profile – charming, present and very pleasant to drink. SUPERIORE.DE

Four denominazioni in one municipality: in Treiso, the heartland of Barbaresco, this is no exaggeration. Giorgio Pelissero, third generation, followed the fourth call in 2008: Moscato. His vines stand in the Munfrina vineyard, Sottozona Ferrere, at 350 metres, south-west exposed, in soils with red sand veins – planted between 1981 and 1998, the cellar is characterised by speed: manual harvesting in small boxes, destemming, cold pressing – hours, not days, separate grapes and must. Foaming in pressurised tanks, bottling under pressure.

Munfrina – that's what they called the woman from Monferrato who once farmed this plot with a strict hand. Her Piedmontese nickname stuck to the location long after she herself had disappeared. Today, at 300 to 400 metres in the Sottozona Ferrere of Treiso, Dolcetto vines have been planted here in Guyot since 1980 – on soils that are actually famous for Nebbiolo and Barbaresco. This is precisely what makes this Dolcetto special: the chalky soils with their red sand veins give it a tannin structure that is sweet and smooth rather than angular. Giorgio Pelissero favours short maceration of just four to five days and pure stainless steel ageing for six months – all in the service of the fruit.

A great, fresh and fruity Moscato from a specialist: fresh, fine nuances of yellow fruit, sage and white flowers. Delicate and fine perlage, wonderful drinking flow. Lively and electric, with freshly cut peach, candied lemon peel, fresh mint and wild flowers all swirling out of the glass. The palate is sweet, but not sticky, with plenty of stone fruit. The balance of this wine is masterful, with a tangy acidity that keeps the wine lively at all times and makes each glass as refreshing as the first. SUPERIORE.DE

The vines are planted where the Piedmont slopes gently at Canelli and the Barbera grape can develop its depth. The name is reminiscent of Cesare Pavese, the great son of these hills – and his most famous work "La Luna e i Falò". Like the novel, this wine also carries a quiet melancholy, paired with expression, maturity and identity. Matured in barriques and large casks for around a year, this is a Barbera full of character and at the same time modern.

Straw-yellow Gavi di Gavi with a lively floral fragrance and a hint of exotic fruits, jasmine, lemon and golden apples. Delicate, self-contained, very harmonious flavour that finishes long and mineral with a fine pepper and pastry note. SUPERIORE.DE

Barbera with origin and attitude: La Villa has been Olim Bauda's favourite wine for decades – not because it is particularly loud, but because it seems so natural. No barrique, no spectacle, but plenty of character. The secret lies in the balance: fruit and freshness, elegance and energy – everything is there, nothing imposes itself. Bright ruby in the glass with a youthful violet colour. The bouquet plays on the fresh side: sour cherry, raspberry, dried herbs, a hint of violet and a delicate mineral note. On the palate, the typical tension of Asti-Barbera – juicy, clearly contoured, with supple tannins and fine length. A wonderfully authentic wine that breathes the soul of Piedmont – spontaneous, lively, unaffected. If you want to understand the essence of this grape variety, this is the perfect wine for every day. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep ruby red with a purple centre – a play of colours that heralds intensity and freshness. Ripe cherries, blackberries and a hint of violets mingle with subtle hints of sweet spice on the nose. On the palate, the wine is full of juicy fruit, underpinned by well-proportioned tannins and a lively, clear acidity that gives the whole wine shape and precision. The blend of Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo matures for twelve months, partly in wood and partly in stainless steel tanks. This preserves freshness, depth and a harmonious balance between fruit and structure. The finish lingers with delicate almond notes and a hint of mineral spice – a Langhe red wine that combines regional character with a fine finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Dogliani is THE Dolcetto country. Here, in southern Piedmont, the sometimes capricious grape variety finds ideal conditions: Calcareous, clayey soils that allow perfect ripening and a microclimate that combines elegance with structure. Pecchenino, which has been in family hands since the late 18th century, has perfected this combination – around three quarters of their production is Dolcetto, and San Luigi is the perfect introduction to what characterises this winery. The grapes come from several vineyards around the historic winery in Dogliani, all part of the San Luigi-Mencione, at altitudes between 390 and 430 metres with a south-easterly to south-westerly exposure. After the harvest, a ten-day maceration at 28°C follows before malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in stainless steel tanks. The wine is matured exclusively in stainless steel, which preserves the primary fruit and freshness of the Dolcetto.

Massolino's Moscato is a lot of fun, and not just if you drink it in summer. Bright straw yellow in colour. A fresh bouquet of jasmine, honey, mint, wild sage and chalk. The wine's seductive sweetness flows gently over the palate, and a delicious acid wire provides excitement and agility. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1968, a Turin father sent his fifteen-year-old son to the countryside as a punishment – the boy had marched in student protests. The son's name was Aldo Vajra, the land was Barolo, and the punishment turned into a vocation. Three years later, the winery was the first organic winery in Piedmont. Today, Aldo and Milena and their three children Giuseppe, Francesca and Isidoro run forty hectares in the highest vineyards in the municipality of Barolo – and prove with this Moscato that a house that cultivates legendary Nebbiolo crus such as Bricco delle Viole also takes the supposedly light wines seriously.

Pale straw yellow in colour with a fine, persistent perlage. The Moscato d'Autunno is Saracco's most intense interpretation of the house: made from musts obtained from Moscato Bianco di Canelli, which are pressed particularly carefully after the harvest, stored in cool conditions and later fermented in pressurised tanks – this preserves the purity, freshness and depth of flavour. The nose is characterised by orange blossom, white peach and lime zest, underpinned by thyme and a delicate hint of blossom honey. Sweet on the palate, but never heavy: the fine mousse carries juicy stone fruit, a lively, lemony acidity and a clear, mineral character into the long, fragrant finish. Very appealing and one of the best representatives of its kind every year. SUPERIORE.DE