Wines from Piedmont

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

A lively and by no means everyday expression of Piedmont: this Dolcetto comes from sustainably cultivated vineyards on calcareous soils around Vergne, from vines between 25 and 60 years old (!), grown with dedication and honest meticulousness. Hand-picking took place from the end of September to the beginning of autumn, followed by a relatively long alcoholic maceration with careful temperature management. Maturation took place exclusively in stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the freshness and originality of the fruit.

Piedmont in a bottle – not as a miniaturisation, but as an essence. Nebbiolo brings structure and bright cherry fruit, Barbera contributes juicy acidity, Dolcetto rounds off with soft tannins, and in the background Freisa and Albarossa whisper of the diversity of grape varieties in a region that is far more than just Barolo and Barbaresco. The Vajras call this wine "an embrace from Piedmont", and that is exactly how it feels: Warm-hearted, accessible, without ever becoming arbitrary. The grapes come from younger vines, are vinified separately and only then combined into a cuvée, a process that requires precision where others simulate simplicity.

"A Dolcetto as it should be: flattering and drinkable." This is how Matteo Ascheri describes his Moscato. No more, no less and no promise that is not kept. The vines grow in Rivalta between La Morra and Verduno, at an altitude of 350 metres, exposed to the south-west and south-east – where Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto have always been at home. At least 85% Dolcetto, hand-picked between mid and late September, six days of fermentation at 25°C.

Intense ruby red with a sparkling centre. Suculé immediately shows that it wants to be more than a classic Barbera. The fragrance caresses the senses with ripe sour cherry, blackberry, rose petals and a fine hint of vanilla – a complex, inviting bouquet. Velvety and dense on the palate and perfectly balanced: juicy red fruit meets a harmonious structure, a supporting sweetness and a subtle hint of minerality on the finish. Maturation for 18 months in barriques ensures velvety depth and length. A powerful but elegantly interwoven Barbera with format and accessibility. SUPERIORE.DE

Augere – to enlarge, increase. This hilltop above Treiso owes its name to the Latins because the vines here have always produced better grapes than elsewhere. At Bricco, 420 metres above Munfrina, the soil is different: hard, compact, almost stony, with a high lime content – centuries of erosion have long since carried away the sand and silt. What remains challenges the Dolcetto grape and gives it an atypical tannin structure for the variety. Giorgio Pelissero responds with equally atypical vinification: ten to twelve days of maceration instead of the usual four, then six months in 50-hectolitre oak barrels to tame the powerful tannins.

Dense ruby red in colour with a garnet-red hue. Juicy sour cherry, ripe plum and a hint of violet on the nose, accompanied by fine notes of sweet spices and subtle vanilla. Juicy and powerful on the palate, with a present but harmoniously integrated acidity that emphasises the typical character of the grape variety. The tannins are round and supple, while the medium-long finish is characterised by fruit fullness and a delicate, spicy hint. Ageing in stainless steel tanks and large wooden barrels gives the wine structure without diminishing its freshness. An authentic Barbera d'Alba that clearly shows its origins in the glass – accessible, balanced and with an elegant finish that makes you want to savour the next glass. SUPERIORE.DE

In the 1980s, Luigi Baudana planted Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc on his slopes in Serralunga d'Alba – at a time when white wine had no great tradition in the Langhe. That took courage. This is precisely why the wine is now called Dragon and bears the dragon by illustrator Gianni Gallo on the label: a symbol of courage that the Vajra family incorporated into its own history after taking over the Baudana estate. Today, the Dragon is no longer a simple Bianco. Nascetta – the most fascinating indigenous white wine variety of the Langhe, rescued and cultivated by Vajra – gives the blend its unmistakable character. A touch of Riesling: the signature of an estate that sees curiosity as an attitude. Fermentation and ageing in steel for approx. 6 months.

Dark, almost impenetrable ruby red colour with violet reflections. The aroma combines ripe black cherry, blackberry and cassis with fine notes of liquorice, dark chocolate and a spicy hint of pepper. A gentle smokiness from the ageing in barriques frames the multi-layered bouquet. Full-bodied on the palate, with juicy fruit fullness and velvety embedded tannins. The cuvée of Barbera, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon combines power and elegance, while the fresh acidity ensures balance. The long, spicy finish makes you want to savour the next sip. A modern Langhe Rosso full of character that skilfully combines international grape varieties with a Piedmontese heart. SUPERIORE.DE

Pale straw yellow with a greenish tinge. Sourced from high-altitude parcels in Castiglione Tinella, this Riesling combines freshness and depth: gently pressed, cool fermented and then matured for around eleven months on the fine lees in stainless steel – for crystal-clear flavours and a fine, creamy texture. Lime zest, green apple and white peach on the nose, with a hint of herbal blossom and wet stones. Dry, precise and straightforward on the palate: lively, citric acidity, cool minerality and a gentle, fine phenolic grip that gives the wine contour and length. A rare Langhe Riesling full of character and emphasising the terroir, with an animating attack and elegant finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In Neive, where the hills of Barbaresco gently undulate towards the horizon, the Pola family has been running the Fontanabianca winery since 1969. What Franco Pola started back then with the first bottle of Barbaresco Bordini is continued today by his son Aldo and grandson Matteo with the same conviction: quality is only created where the wine authentically reflects the terroir. On the limestone and clay soils of the municipality of Neive, 250 metres above sea level, the autochthonous grape varieties of Piedmont thrive in a temperate climate: Nebbiolo for the great Barbaresco wines, Dolcetto for uncomplicated pleasure and Barbera for the powerful elegance that has made this variety the region's most sophisticated popular grape.

Here comes cheerful and lively pleasure into the glass and heart: straw-yellow sparkle with a silvery shimmer and fine, persistent perlage. The nose is dancingly fruity and floral: peach, white flowers, rose petals, a hint of orange blossom and delicate musky notes – all fresh, playful and spicy. Sweet yet never heavy on the palate, with a refreshing lightness, delicate acidity and a gentle flavour that sweeps into a soft, aromatic final. The Moscato grapes grow in Mango d'Alba, are processed gently (including controlled fermentation in autoclaves) and mature briefly in the bottle - very typical of the variety and with a fine style. Vigna Senza Nome is not a classic dessert wine, but a charming, vibrant experience like a summery greeting from Piedmont. SUPERIORE.DE

This Dolcetto comes from the gently sloping, gravel and limestone-rich plots around Barolo, which Sandrone has always regarded as a wine of character in its own right. Hand-picked at the end of September, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and careful ageing in neutral wood preserve the typicality of the grape variety and at the same time lend structure. A clear, bright purple colour with a violet hue in the glass. The bouquet is as inviting as it is precise: black cherry, blackberry and plum, surrounded by violet blossom, almonds and a hint of graphite. On the palate, it displays a harmonious combination of juicy fruit, finely integrated acidity and ripe, slightly grippy tannins. The medium-long finish carries mineral notes and a hint of herbal spice. A Dolcetto with substance and nobility that epitomises the philosophy of the house – clarity, balance and elegance – even in the supposedly simplest grape variety. SUPERIORE.DE

In the vineyards between La Morra and Verduno, where Matteo Ascheri has been capturing the essence of Nebbiolo for generations, a wine is created that shows all the elegance of this royal grape variety without the heaviness and complexity of its big Barolo brothers. Here, on the characteristic marl-clay soils of the Langhe, the Nebbiolo vines benefit from an ideal south-south-west exposure at an altitude of 350 metres. Matteo's proven philosophy – to let the terroir speak for itself without overpowering it with excessive technology – is also evident in this Nebbiolo: gentle vinification in stainless steel tanks preserves the freshness and elegance typical of the variety, while a short refinement in Slavonian oak barrels gives the wine a subtle structure without masking its natural finesse.

A Barbera with structure, clearly defined terroir and down-to-earth elegance: Croere grows on calcareous, white soil (marl-clay mixture), typical subsoil for finely mineralised, expressive wines with depth. The grapes come from vineyards with very low yields and are fermented traditionally with 15 days of maceration at 28–30 °C; after spontaneous malolactic fermentation, the wine matures in barriques – compact, but with finesse.

The vineyard overlooks the house. Visitors to the Cantina Bergaglio look out from the courtyard directly onto the Minaia slope – a single hectare on a medium slope, 300 metres above sea level, with red clay soil with an exceptionally high iron content. This soil is the reason why Minaia is a cru: Not because some committee decided it, but because this patch of earth produces something that no other hectare in the appellation can replicate. 100% Cortese, hand-picked, fermentation and ageing in steel on the lees – no wood, no intervention that does not serve the terroir. The Ligurian breezes that blow over the hills from the south slow down the ripening process and maintain the mineral tension that Daniele Cernilli once summarised in five words: "un vero Chablis à l'Italienne." Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso confirm this almost every year.

This Dolcetto comes from the gently sloping, gravel- and limestone-rich plots around Barolo, which Sandrone has always regarded as a wine of character in its own right. Hand-picked at the end of September, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and careful ageing in neutral wood preserve the typicality of the grape variety and at the same time lend structure. A clear, bright purple colour with a violet hue in the glass. The bouquet is as inviting as it is precise: black cherry, blackberry and plum, surrounded by violet blossom, almonds and a hint of graphite. On the palate, it displays a harmonious combination of juicy fruit, finely integrated acidity and ripe, slightly grippy tannins. The medium-long finish carries mineral notes and a hint of herbal spice. A Dolcetto with substance and nobility that epitomises the philosophy of the house – clarity, balance and elegance – even in the supposedly simplest grape variety. SUPERIORE.DE

Between fields of mist and the nearby Ligurian cliffs, the Cortese grape in Gavi clings to old hillsides, where it becomes one of the most determined white wine voices in Piedmont. Olim Bauda turns it into Gavi di Gavi with real radiance – powerful in expression, but light as a feather in experience. Delicate straw yellow with a silvery lustre. Then yellow fruit: Apple, pear and melon interweave with mint and a hint of chalk – mineral, fresh and refined. No wood flavours, just pure Cortese – elegant, vibrant, unaffected. On the palate, the wine plays on the high strings: lively freshness, charming citrus notes, fine fruit structure and a salty, stimulating minerality that makes you want to savour the next sip.

Dolcetto d'Alba Bricco Bastia comes from high-altitude, organically farmed plots on the Bastia hills in Monforte d'Alba. The exposed location at an altitude of around 500 metres and calcareous marl soils give the grapes freshness, fine minerality and aromatic clarity. Bright purple-red colour with violet reflections. Juicy black cherry, ripe plum and a hint of blueberry on the nose, accompanied by delicate almond notes and a hint of violet. Dry, supple and harmonious on the palate, with ripe fruit, moderate acidity and soft, well-integrated tannins. A Dolcetto full of character that shows its origins from the heart of the Langhe with confidence and a charming drinking flow. SUPERIORE.DE

The vines for this Dolcetto grow on the Ravera hillside in Novello, on soils rich in limestone, sand and clay with a gentle south-eastern exposure, around 380 metres above sea level. This parcel is located in Elvio Cogno's traditional cultivation centre and is all about local provenance and authenticity. The ageing – around eight months in steel barrels, without wood – emphasises the varietal typicity and freshness.