Wines from Piedmont

The grapes for Vignota come from five selected vineyards in Monforte d'Alba, whose calcareous marl soils with loamy and sandy inclusions give the Barbera grapes expression and depth. Bright ruby red colour with a purple hue. Aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry and plum, underpinned by violets, herbs and a hint of liquorice. Juicy and balanced on the palate, with present, well-integrated acidity and soft, fine-grained tannins. After fermentation, the wine matures for several months in used French barriques, which gives it additional harmony and fine spicy notes. An exciting and very serious Barbera with a regional profile and good structure. SUPERIORE.DE

βιαηκΩ is a highly precise white wine made from Erbaluce grapes from the Boca micro-region, which is so rare and popular that it is allocated every year. Matured in large oak barrels and acacia casks, this wonderfully fresh and independent white wine has found its best form with this vintage. It is well structured, with good length, a rich, floral bouquet and full of charm. The fresh acidity on the finish makes the wine savoury and long. Flavours of wild alpine herbs and pears with a hint of exotic fruits are framed by a creamy texture and lead into a long-lasting final. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes come exclusively from the single vineyard San Pietro, and since the 2018 vintage, part of the wine has been aged in amphorae. Berries, liquorice and deep red fruit on the nose. Finely woven and very precise structure, a bright, open personality and class on the palate. Sheer elegance and Clerico enjoyment without waiting for further ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Vinified from selected, south to south-west-facing plots in the heart of the Langhe, this Barbera exemplifies Sandrone's understanding of balance between varietal expression and elegance. The 2022 vintage, characterised by warm, dry summer months and cool nights, yielded fully ripe harvestwith concentrated aromas and fresh acidity. The short maturation in used wooden barrels rounds off the texture without overpowering the varietal freshness.

When you say Braida, you mean Barbera. Ever since Giacomo Bologna proved in the 1980s that this underestimated grape variety can reach barrique maturity and world class, the name has been synonymous with the Piedmontese red wine revolution. Connoisseurs know that the family also produces white wines – but La Regina, Re di Fiori and the Asso di Fiori are deliberately labelled differently: Serra dei Fiori. This is the name of the vineyard near Trezzo Tinella in the Langhe, which the Bolognas acquired together with the Giacosa brothers in 1988. A separate terroir, a joint venture, a separate project. This makes what Giuseppe and Raffaella Bologna now dare to do all the more significant: the first white wine to bear the name Braida. Vinified not in the Langhe, but in the historic cellar of Rocchetta Tanaro – the heart of the estate. The grapes come from the Colli Tortonesi, the hills east of Alessandria, where the Timorasso has been rooted since the Middle Ages and was saved from extinction thanks to pioneers like Walter Massa.

Basarin and San Cristoforo – on calcareous marl soils with sandy veins and moderate altitude – are the two Barbera sites for this powerful, exceptional wine. Selective manual harvesting, spontaneous fermentation with the vineyard's own yeasts in stainless steel and a maceration period of around three to four weeks ensure depth and grip. Malolactic fermentation and maturation then take place in wood (predominantly used barrels), without fining or filtration; short bottle rest before release.

Brilliant purple red with a youthful glow. The 2024 is fresh and inviting on the nose: red cherry, crisp plum, a hint of redcurrant and floral hints of violets. Vinification in stainless steel preserves the primary fruit and crisp liveliness of the young vintage. Fruity on the palate, with a juicy texture, mild tannin structure and an animating freshness that favours the drinking flow. A Dolcetto with youthful charm and regional authenticity – uncomplicated, but with a precise Giacosa style. SUPERIORE.DE

One of Piedmont's most enigmatic grape varieties grows in a plot in the centre of the legendary Bricco Boschis: Freisa – nebbiolo's wild relative and, according to DNA studies, possibly even its genetic mother. Its name is derived from the Latin "fresia" for strawberry, which already hints at its aromatic signature. Native to the Piedmont hills since the Middle Ages, it was long considered too rustic – until producers like Cavallotto discovered its true elegance. The 2023 undergoes traditional vinification with indigenous yeasts and 3–5-day skin maceration, followed by 12 months–15 months of ageing in Slavonian oak barrels and six months of bottle ageing.

There are wines whose labels do not tell the whole truth. Bricco Ravera is labelled "Langhe Nebbiolo", but in reality it is Barolo in every respect – except for the name. The grapes come from the Ravera vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, one of the most prestigious single vineyards in the Barolo region, where Pecchenino has owned plots since the early 2000s. A complicated dispute over appellation rights meant that this wine had to be marketed under the less restrictive Langhe DOC – a bureaucratic detail that nevertheless works in the favour of the connoisseur: Barolo quality at a Langhe price. The vineyards are located in the hamlet of San Giuseppe near the Pecchenino family's Barolo winery. The chalky, clayey soils with a southern and south-western exposure offer ideal conditions for Nebbiolo, the capricious, late-ripening grape variety that develops its full aromatic complexity here. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine remains in contact with the skins for a prolonged post-maceration before being racked. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, where it develops the structure and depth that distinguishes it from simpler Langhe wines.

What would Piedmont be without its slightly sparkling red Freisa? Normally, the Piedmontese tend to enjoy these incredibly drinkywines themselves, so that there is hardly any relevant quantity left for export. On the nose, it has an animating aroma of rose petals, cinnamon and cherry, which is also reflected in the flavour. L'Avvenata is a rather slender red that is remotely reminiscent of a Nebbiolo. Its softer tannins and greater fruitiness make it a joyful and very lively companion for all occasions, even when slightly chilled at a young age. SUPERIORE.DE

Ceretto's Langhe Rosso Monsordo is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah with fruit from 11 hectares in the Langa region. It penetrates into areas that Ceretto's master grape, Nebbiolo, never addresses. Monsordo attempts to provide answers to questions that are rarely asked in the Langa, and he answers them with fine extract sweetness and fullness.

Bernardina is a wine with an interesting history. The Bernardina vineyard was once part of a 600-hectare estate belonging to a noble family who did not care much for wine. When the appellation boundaries for Barolo were established, this family never lobbied to become part of the area now registered for the production of Barolo DOCG. Today, the vineyard is managed by the Ceretto family, who have instead focussed on the production of Nebbiolo d'Alba. Nebbiolo d'Alba is an appellation in which the grapes from the Barolo and Barbaresco wine regions have been declassified and which is becoming increasingly popular.

Barolo Paesi Tuoi is more than just a designation of origin. The name – borrowed from the novel "Among Peasants" by Cesare Pavese – evokes Piedmont not just as a landscape, but as a cultural space: rural, archaic, full of inner tensions. And so this Barolo is not an expression of a single cru, but a synthesis of the villages, hills and soils that together form the essence of this appellation. The grapes come from different, characterful vineyards around Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga, carefully selected and vinified separately. Long maceration periods, followed by around two years of ageing in traditional, large oak barrels – the result is a classic style with depth.

What Andrea Sottimano declares here as Langhe Nebbiolo is in fact a Barbaresco (except for the name). The grapes come 100% from the prestigious Cru Basarin, a historic vineyard on the border between Neive and Treiso, whose altitude gives the Nebbiolo exceptional complexity and structure. The 20-year-old vines in the "Vigna del Parroco", the priest's vineyard, yield grapes of remarkable concentration, which are vinified in steel tanks with spontaneous fermentation. The impressively long maceration period of 35 days gives the wine its characteristic depth before it matures for over 12 months in barrique and tonneau – unfiltered and unfined, in keeping with the Sottimano philosophy of minimal intervention.

Ginestrino comes from younger Nebbiolo vines in Barolo vineyards around Monforte d'Alba, whose calcareous marl soils with clayey and sandy veins give the wine a precise structure and fine minerality. Bright garnet red with ruby-coloured reflections. Red cherry, raspberry and rosehip on the nose, accompanied by hints of violets, dried herbs and a delicate spiciness. Fresh and straightforward on the palate, with clear fruit, well-integrated acidity and fine-grained tannins that give the young Nebbiolo contour and length. After fermentation, it matures for around nine months in used French barriques, which rounds off its structure and gives it fine, harmonious wood notes. An authentic expression of great Barolo terroirs in youthful form. SUPERIORE.DE

A name that tells stories: Grign is Cavallatto's affectionate abbreviation for Grignolino – the enigmatic grape variety whose name is derived from the Piedmontese "grignole" and means "many seeds". This thin-skinned grape actually has four to seven seeds per berry instead of the usual two, which gives the wine its characteristic tannin structure. Native to the Monferrato hills since the 13th century, Grignolino was once considered as precious as Barolo – until the fashion for heavier wines pushed it into the shadows. This 2024 comes from a parcel in the middle of the Bricco Boschis, which matures for twelve months in stainless steel tanks after a five-day skin maceration with indigenous yeasts. This careful treatment preserves Grignolino's fragile elegance and tames its wild nature to aristocratic finesse.

The grapes for Batasiolo's Barbaresco come from the gently rolling hills around the village of the same name, where Nebbiolo has found its unmistakable expression for centuries. The year 2020 brought moderate temperatures and a balanced interplay of sun and rain – ideal conditions to maintain the balance between finesse and structure. In the glass, it glows a clear garnet red with a brick-coloured rim – an indication of its youth and the journey that still lies ahead. The nose opens with ripe cherry, dried raspberry and a hint of rose petals, framed by tobacco, sweet spices and a hint of undergrowth. Taut yet supple on the palate, with fine-grained tannins that give the wine backbone and a fresh, precise acidity that carries its inner tension. Ageing in large wooden barrels allows the fruit to shine, while subtle balsamic and earthy notes develop. The finish is long, clear and elegant, carried by a subtle mineral vein. A Barbaresco that epitomises the classic school of Piedmont – noble, long-lasting and with a depth that will continue to develop for several years. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

Between the famous hills of the Langhe, the Nebbiolo grapes for this Barolo ripen in some of the most renowned cru sites: Cerequio, Bussia Bofani, Brunate, Briccolina and Boscareto. The different soils – from calcareous marl to sandy-limestone Helveticum formations – formations combine here to create a finely balanced expression of elegance and depth. The ageing in large oak barrels preserves the character of the vineyards without smoothing out their peculiarities.

When Luciano Sandrone bought his first vineyard in Cannubi Boschis in 1977 – financed with all his savings – and vinified the first bottle in his parents' garage a year later, nobody could have guessed that this humble beginning would grow into one of Barolo's most iconic wineries. After his death in 2024, daughter Barbara, brother Luca as Oenologist and wife Mariuccia continue the legacy today: 27 hectares between Langa and Roero, six wines of uncompromising quality that combine tradition and modernity in equal measure. The Barbera d'Alba, vinified from grapes from various plots in Monforte d'Alba and Novello, is more than just an accompanying wine – it is a statement that Sandrone devotes the same attention to each grape variety as he does to his legendary Barolo.