Piedmont

The name says it all: La Gatta (the cat) doesn't sneak into the glass – she purrs her way into it. This Moscato d'Asti from the best plots around Canelli shows how much character can be found in a delicately sparkling white wine. The vines are rooted in calcareous soils with south to south-east exposure, which gives the grapes optimum ripeness and aromatic concentration. Harvested in the cool morning hours and fermented at a controlled temperature, the natural residual sugar is retained and fermentation is stopped early – this keeps the alcohol content low and the flavour high.

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

A Chardonnay that transports us to the Italian summer with the first sip: Fosche is like a morning light over Barolo – fresh, airy and simply lively. The grapes grow on gently sloping hills and the wine is fermented spontaneously in stainless steel to preserve the pure fruit and cool clarity. No wood, no masquerade – just Chardonnay at its most elegant and fresh. In the glass it has a light straw yellow colour with a silvery sheen. The nose opens with aromas of Golden Delicious and Williams pear, with delicate notes of orange blossom, citrus zest and a hint of apricot – all balanced on a fine mineral base. Fresh and lively on the palate, with elegant clarity. Citrus freshness and juicy fruit blend perfectly with a delicate creaminess from the fine yeast maturation, which lingers pleasantly on the long, sparkling, light finish. Light-footed enough for an aperitif, or just present enough to lift a spinach and salmon quiche to a new level. SUPERIORE.DE

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

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.

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

Moscato d'Asti is one of the oldest aromatic wines in Piedmont – and Fontanile, north of Nizza Monferrato, has been one of its best vineyards for centuries. When Giovanni Agostino Bertolino acquired the Tenuta Bauda in 1961 and later the Cascina Centive in this very village, he followed a simple conviction: Where the soil is right, the wine needs little more than careful hands. 100% Moscato Bianco from organically farmed vineyards. Hand-picked, gentle pressing, short maceration time, fermentation in autoclaves at low temperatures for 20 to 30 days – the fine effervescence is created during fermentation. Fermentation is interrupted by cooling, microfiltration, bottling as early as November – two months after the harvest. It could hardly be fresher.

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.

Some decisions are radical in their simplicity. Gianluigi Bergaglio has been producing exactly two wines since 1970 – both from 100% Cortese, both from his own 17 hectares in the Rovereto fraction, both exclusively in steel. No barriques, no second grape variety, no distractions. The vineyards lie at 300 metres in the hills south of Gavi, on characteristic red clay with a high iron content – a soil that gives the Cortese minerality and structure not found in other parts of the appellation. Ligurian breezes from the south cool the slopes and maintain freshness. Guyot cultivation, no extreme yield reductions, but care in the vineyard and cellar.

"Grignolino is the reddest of all white wines and the whitest of all red wines." Veronelli is said to have said so – and once you have a glass in front of you, you immediately understand why. Bright ruby red with an amber-coloured shimmer, almost transparent, with a delicacy that no other Piedmontese red has. And yet: a red wine, decidedly dry, with tannin and character. Grignolino is difficult – difficult in the vineyard, difficult in the press, demanding to handle. Because of its many seeds, it runs the risk of developing too much bitterness. The Bertolinos have known this for decades. The grapes come from vineyards in Isola d'Asti, on Pliocene sedimentary soils in the Asti basin, organically farmed. Hand-picked, pressed in the evening on the harvest, fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a maximum temperature of 28°C. No wood. No wood.

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

In Serralunga d'Alba, everything revolves around Nebbiolo. The limestone, the steep slopes, the microclimate – everything is geared towards it, everything serves Barolo. The fact that the Massolino family also cultivates Dolcetto on these soils has less to do with compromise than with conviction: What comes from a great terroir bears its signature, regardless of the variety – regardless of the variety. 2.5 hectares of Dolcetto at 330 metres, in the shadier plots of the Serralunga hills – because the variety ripens quickly and needs some protection from the midday heat of the limestone slopes. Hand-picked, 7 to 9 days of maceration in steel at around 30 degrees, BSA, short maturation in the bottle – the wine is released at the beginning of the following year.

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.

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 home of Dolcetto. Here, in southern Piedmont, this sometimes temperamental grape variety finds ideal conditions: calcareous-clay soils that allow for perfect ripening, and a microclimate that combines elegance with structure. Pecchenino, a family-run estate 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 sets this winery apart. The grapes come from several vineyards surrounding the historic winery in Dogliani, all part of the San Luigi-Mencione estate, at altitudes between 390 and 430 metres with a south-east to south-west aspect. After the harvest, the grapes undergo a ten-day maceration at 28°C, before malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel, which preserves the Dolcetto’s primary fruit and freshness.

The name Dolcetto does not mean sugar, but softness. The grape variety is the Piedmontese everyday red par excellence: easy-drinking, fruity, with that characteristic slight bitterness in the final that sets it apart from all others. Neive, in the heart of the Barbaresco appellation, gives the Dolcetto its special depth: calcareous clay soil at 300 metres, temperate climate, 30 to 35-year-old vines – a root mass that ensures concentration and character. Aldo Pola and his family vinify traditionally: fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature, no wood. The result is Dolcetto in its most honest form.