Wines from Piedmont

Gentle in flavour, powerful in body. La Casa in Collina is Vite Colte's charming statement on Barbaresco. Created from traditional grape variety assemblages from old terroirs in a light southern exposure, this wine combines nuance with poise: around 20 days of slow fermentation and a year in large oak barrels create a balance that allows depth without sacrificing elegance. In the glass, the colour is a rich ruby red that thickens to a fine garnet at the edges. The nose opens with a refined profile: ripe plum, red berry and violet, accompanied by coffee powder, tobacco leaf and a hint of fine woody spices, subtly intense but never overwhelming. Lively and carefully structured on the palate, with well-embedded tannins, fresh acidity and dense fruit. The big wood is noticeable, but nuanced. The finish is long, savoury and pleasantly round, with a hint of subtle vanilla and juicy cherry. This Barbaresco is confident and expressive, yet approachable enough to enjoy today. Optimal value for money – good potential available. SUPERIORE.DE

Michele Chiarlos Principe is a red wine made from Nebbiolo grapes from two highly symbolic growing regions, Roero and Barbaresco. Subtle and intense at the same time, it has a character that tends towards a more drinkable profile, while retaining the elegance and structure typical of the grape variety. Bright ruby red colour. Enchanting nose of sour cherries, plums, but also gingerbread spice and some dried meat as well as cold smoke and mocha. On the palate, notes of violets and red fruit with a delicate spice vein. Well-integrated tannins, juicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

An honest statement from Piedmont: This pure Nebbiolo comes from young vines (both Tortonese and Serravallese terroir) in higher altitudes around Barolo, Novello and Sinio. Following natural standards and traditional vinification, it reflects the purity of the variety in its purest form. The ageing in stainless steel with a minimal amount of neutral wood emphasises this pure fruit and the origin without any masking.

Riesling is a rarity in Piedmont. However, the grape variety finds ideal conditions in carefully selected, higher-lying plots: sunny days for aromatic ripeness, cool nights for acid freshness. Re di Fiori is matured in stainless steel tanks to preserve the pure fruit and fine tension of the variety. A white wine full of character that interprets the classic German grape variety in a Piedmontese style. Rare, authentic and with a subtle aristocratic flavour.

Nizza is a small municipality in Monferrato that has given Barbera its highest level. Only elevated to an independent DOCG in 2019, Nizza epitomises what Barbera can achieve when the terroir and craftsmanship are right: Depth, structure, length. Soils with fine veins of lime and sand, which inscribe the flavour and freshness of the variety into the fruit. Prunotto vinifies the Bansella with six days of maceration at 28°C, completing the malolactic before winter – followed by twelve months in second and third passage barriques. Wood as a silent reserve, not as a commentary.

This is a rather fresh and cheerful lightweight at a young age, which will develop into a highly complex and more than serious white wine over the years. In the still youthful, fresh bouquet, we already find a lot of minerality and fine yellow fruit flavours, then a texture and depth on the palate that comes to the fore at 2° higher drinking temperature and appropriate aeration. It will be even better in a few years - guaranteed! SUPERIORE.DE

Smooth Nebbiolo that shows the clear signature of Giovanni Rosso: This Langhe Nebbiolo presents itself in a bright garnet red with a ruby-coloured rim as an elegant companion with a presence of origin. The naturally cultivated vines are rooted in calcareous and clayey soils around Serralunga d'Alba. The bouquet reveals delicate notes of violets, red wild berries, white rose and a hint of dried herbs – wonderfully balanced between freshness and depth. The palate reveals a fine, supple body: lively acidity, gentle tannins and a fine mineral vein that accompanies the finish with clarity and elegance. A young Nebbiolo with youthful agility and plenty of charm – a lively picture of the terroir in youthful form. SUPERIORE.DE

Juice and power is the headline for this incredibly dense and fleshy Dolcetto, which already announces what awaits the senses with its rich ruby-purple colour. Lots of dark, sweet cherry, plus tobacco, leather and incense pour out of the glass and then hit the palate in concentrated form, embedded in a wonderful, silky, lush texture. Lavender, violets and white pepper can be found in the long, incredibly juicy finish. Roberto Voerzio proves once again here how you can make a fantastic, great wine from the Dolcetto grape, even away from the great Barolo wines in his repertoire, by reducing yields and being uncompromising! SUPERIORE.DE

Between the legendary Bricco Boschis and Monprivato crus lies a small parcel of just 2.25 hectares that epitomises Cavallotto's answer to the question: What does Barolo excellence taste like in Dolcetto format? The Vigna Scot, with its east-north-east exposure, benefits from the same chalky, clayey geology that gives the great Baroli their structure. The grapes undergo traditional vinification with indigenous yeasts and short 3-4 day maceration, followed by six months in 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels and a further six months in concrete tanks. This double maturation creates the characteristic texture: structured but smooth.

Light, bright straw yellow with a subtle greenish shimmer – is how this exceptional white wine appears in the glass. The grapes come 100% from Nascetta, probably the only autochthonous white wine variety in the Langhe, which has been revitalised in Novello far beyond eye level – as a true expression of the diversity of regional grape varieties. The wine is matured in equal parts in stainless steel tanks and Slavonian 15-litre oak barrels – precisely balanced to combine freshness with an enveloping structure.

"A quei tempi era sempre festa" – back then there was always a party. Thus begins Cesare Pavese's novel "La bella estate", written in 1940 and awarded the Premio Strega in 1950, a tale about those fleeting summers of youth when anything seems possible. It is no coincidence that Vite Colte named its Moscato Passito after this work: the Barolo cooperative has dedicated several of its wines to Piedmontese Liters– "La Luna e i Falò", also a Pavese title, adorns their award-winning Barbera d'Asti. It is a nod to their homeland, to the landscape of hills and mist that Pavese described so unmistakably.

While the Dolcetto is the uncomplicated everyday companion, the Barbera d'Alba from Elio Altare shows a different facet: fuller-bodied, warmer and with more structure. The 10 to 30-year-old vines are rooted in calcareous sandy soils in La Morra, mainly in eastern and north-eastern locations. The grapes macerate for three to four days in rotary fermenters at a controlled temperature, followed by a five-month maturation period in used French barriques – subtle enough not to overpower the fruit, present enough for complexity.

Il Bacialé – in dialect "matchmaker" – brings together grape varieties that normally rarely meet: Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The grapes come from selected plots in the heart of Monferrato, whose gentle hills give the vines warmth and depth. After fermentation, the wine matures in wood, which gives it structure, finesse and good ageing potential. A successful liaison that marries tradition and international class in a pleasing way.

Dolcetto – is often dismissed as an uncomplicated everyday wine. Not so with Elena and Luca. For them, Dolcetto is the perfect introductory tool for young wine drinkers, their first encounter with the Langhe, so to speak. That's why they vinify it with the same dedication as their Nebbioli: the grapes come from three small vineyards in San Sebastiano (Monforte d'Alba), vines that are on average 40 years old in an area of exceptional biodiversity. Ten days of simple wild yeast fermentation with minimal pumping over, followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation in the spring. Short barrel ageing, bottling in summer – the result is a Dolcetto that combines tradition and modernity.

The vines of this single-vineyard Barbera are rooted at the highest point of the hill in the renowned Ravera and Pasinotti vineyards near Novello. Grown on soils rich in limestone and clay with a south-south-easterly exposure at an altitude of 300-400 metres, the wine reflects both elegance and a clear origin. The wine matures for around 12 months in large Slavonian wooden barrels, which give it depth without masking the freshness of the fruit.

The grapes come from organically cultivated vineyards with calcareous marl soils around Alba, whose terroir gives the wine freshness and structure. Deep ruby red in colour with violet hues. On the nose, a pure, inviting aroma of ripe cherry, blackberry, plum and a hint of violet, with subtle hints of spice. On the palate, Piana presents itself in typical Barbera style: juicy, dense fruit, present, well-integrated acidity and a supple texture that ensures drinking flow. An authentic, straightforward Barbera that brings its origins into the glass with clarity and unadulterated elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

2023 marks a quiet turning point in Castiglione Falletto: Eugenio Palumbo, at Vietti's side since 2011 and assistant to Luca Currado for many years, now has sole responsibility as cellar master – and the Perbacco is perhaps his most eloquent statement. This Langhe Nebbiolo brings together grapes from up to fifteen Barolo Cru vineyards and selected Barbaresco parcels in a single glass. Each parcel is vinified separately, matured for two years in oak, then Palumbo selects the lots for the assemblage – the rest matures further to become Barolo Castiglione.

Light ruby red with purple reflections. Red cherry, wild strawberry and pomegranate on the nose, with a hint of rosehip, violets and fine herbal spice. Silky and taut at the same time on the palate: slender, juicy fruit, precise acidity, very fine-grained tannins with a delicate grip. Nothing superfluous, everything in line – transparent, fresh, elegant. The finish is long, carried by minerality and a hint of bitter almond, yet always cool in appearance, clear and delicate in expression. A Pinot Nero that emphasises finesse and impresses with subtle class – ideal slightly chilled with poularde, veal or mushrooms. SUPERIORE.DE

The "Baby Barolo" – is what this Nebbiolo is affectionately known as, and not without reason. Elio Altare vinifies Piedmont's noblest grape variety with the same dedication as his legendary Barolos, only without the years of barrel ageing and at a fraction of the price. The grapes come from two privileged sites: half a hectare right next to the cantina in Annunziata (La Morra), north-facing and cool, and one hectare in Monforte, right on the edge of the famous Cru Ginestra. Calcareous sandy soils, 20 to 50-year-old vines, south-east and east-facing. Three to four days of maceration in rotary fermenters, then five months in used French barriques – enough to create complexity without masking the delicate Nebbiolo flavours.

The grapes come from high slopes near Monforte d'Alba from the historic Pian Romualdo parcel. Soils characterised by limestone and marl with sandy veins, noticeable day-night amplitudes and strict yield limits provide concentrated, pure harvest. The year 2022 passed without any notable restrictions: a warm, dry summer with reduced yields, followed by beneficial rainfall and cool nights in autumn. This resulted in ripe phenolics, dense fruit and a clear, supporting acidity that high-altitude sites preserve particularly well.

Like an almost forgotten side branch of the great trunk of Piedmont, Freisa quietly tells stories of depth, character and identity. This long-established grape variety, closely related to the more famous Nebbiolo, produces wines full of structure, tannin and cool, dark fruit – and it is precisely this fascinating balance that we encounter here in its great version: dry, powerful and with an unmistakable profile. Freisa is not thought of as a marginal curiosity, but always as an independent voice – with the flavour, dignity and substance of a great, but with a temperament all of its own: deep, enigmatic and charismatic.

This single-varietal Nebbiolo comes from organically farmed plots in Neive and Castagnole Lanze (including Starderi), whose vines are rooted in calcareous marl soils. The cooler spring of 2023 and the sunny autumn yielded perfectly ripe, aromatic grapes. Medium ruby red in the glass with bright reflections. Fragrant notes of sour cherry, ripe raspberries and a hint of violet on the nose, complemented by fine spice and hints of liquorice. Clear and precise on the palate, with fresh acidity, fine-grained tannins and elegant, juicy fruit that carries through to the medium-long final. An authentic, accessible Nebbiolo that shows La Spinetta's signature as well as the typical finesse of the grape variety. SUPERIORE.DE

"The grapes come from the highest vineyard on our estate, in Monforte d'Alba, at an altitude of around 530 metres above sea level. Here, the climatic conditions guarantee the freshness and acidity that make Riesling one of the most famous grape varieties in the world and one of our great passions." Franco Massolino