Wines from Piedmont

The best plots around Monleale, from which the grapes for the Derthona Timorasso come, cover just 11 hectares. They are located in the Apennine and pre-Apennine hills of the Marca Obertenga, the soils contain mainly marl and clayey layers. The deep bouquet has green and yellow fruit notes, orange confit, graphite, mint and a hint of camomile. On the palate, it marches straight ahead with that certain exotic something, its pleasantly fresh acidity and fine tannin into a long finish with an attractive bitterness of citrus peel reminiscent of chinotto and a mineral vein. The 12-month contact during fermentation in stainless steel on the lees ensures that it gains in depth and complexity with each year of further bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

There is a poetic play on words behind this rare white wine: Pinner – born from PINot NERo, as if the name itself were a wink from the Cavallottos. On the north-eastern slopes of the Cru Vignolo, original Champagne clones of Pinot Nero have been rooted in chalky-clayey soils with veins of sand since 1972 – a geological rarity that gives this Blanc de Noirs its unmistakable minerality. The vinification is a balancing act between tradition and innovation: after the gentlest pneumatic pressing without skin contact, the must ferments for 45 days at a cool 16-18°C in stainless steel tanks. Nine months of sur lie ageing with daily bâtonnage create the creamy texture that distinguishes Pinner from simple white wines.

Some wines are named after vineyards, others after grape varieties. This one bears the name of a person: Domenico Staropoli, known as Mimmo, who cultivated the vineyards of Le Piane for many years. When he died, Christoph Künzli dedicated this wine to him – to him, not as a sentimental gesture, but as a tribute to the quiet labour without which no great wine is made. The Mimmo is more than just a "little Boca". His Nebbiolo parcels come from the same plots, are vinified according to the same standards, and only after two years of barrel ageing does the tasting decide which parcels will become Boca and which will become Mimmo. The Nebbiolo is complemented by Croatina and Vespolina from century-old vines on Montalbano and Santuario. Twelve months in tonneau, then twelve months in large Slavonian vats – time that you can taste.

Not far from the Cortese vineyards lies Libarna, an ancient Roman settlement. A bronze disc from the 1st century BC was found there – an astronomical calendar for measuring Roman cities. Today, this Libarna disc adorns the label of the "Poggio della Rupe" line and connects millennia: Wine was grown here even before the Romans. The Monterotondo comes from a single vineyard in the heart of Gavi, where gypsum-rich, sulphurous soils give the Cortese an unrivalled complexity. Thirty-five-year-old vines yield grapes for just 2,500 bottles. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wine matures for six to seven months on the fine lees – an ageing process that gives it depth and structure without sacrificing freshness.

A clockwork that ticks once a year and strikes once a millennium – designed for 10,000 years. Brian Eno and a group of thinkers founded the Long Now Foundation in 1996 to broaden the view: away from the immediate and towards the long now. Giorgio Pelissero recognised this as the essence of his profession – because there is time in wine. In 1999, he acquired Cascina Tolino between Treiso and Neviglie, steep terrain divided by a municipal border: Only the Nebbiolo on the Treiso side is allowed to become Barbaresco. He combined the rest with Barbera to create perhaps the oldest assemblaggio in Piedmont – only rethought. Vinified separately, ten days of maceration for the Nebbiolo, up to twenty-five for the Barbera, then fifteen months in small oak barrels.

Roberto Voerzio founded his cantina in La Morra in 1986. The address is Loc. Il Cerreto is the home vineyard, the house's place of origin, the plot of land where it all began. The Barbera that grows here therefore comes from the garden of the man who was one of the first to make the Langhe internationally famous as a terroir producer. Voerzio treats his Cerreto vineyard no differently to his famous Barolo vineyards: only natural manure from Alpine cows, no herbicides, no chemical intervention. A maximum of one kilogramme of grapes per vine. Hand-picked. Fermentation in steel, 12 to 14 days on the skins. Maturation in tonneaux (70% new) and large 25-hectolitre barrels for a total of 12 months, followed by a further 8 months in steel. No filtration. No intervention that changes the character of the wine – this is Voerzio's principle for every wine of the house, without exception. In his own words: "Time does not make the wine great – time unfolds what is in it from the start."

It was no coincidence, but opportunity, that Roberto Voerzio embarked on a new adventure in Monferrato a few years ago. As the latest addition to his exquisite collection, he put himself to the test as a passionate Barbera lover by acquiring some plots of land near Canelli and Nizza Monferrato. These are vineyards that are around 35 years old with clay and limestone soil, which gives the wine complexity and minerality. The old planting was then greatly reduced according to his modus operandi: to 3,500 to 8,000 vines per hectare with a production of less than 1 kg (!) per plant. Fermentation and maceration take place in steel tanks using indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation and ageing take place in barriques (70% used) for 12 months and then in steel tanks for a few months before bottling without filtration.

This wine bears the small print name Viola delle Viole, although its fruit comes from the Bricco delle Viole and Bricco Bertone vineyards, two sites with different soil types, one of which provides structure and the other aromatic purity. Opens with a dark, almost impenetrable appearance. Powerful aromas of blackberry jam and preserved cherries unfold on the nose. You can feel its warmth and richness and there is no way around it. It is a super-sized Barbera that goes one better in terms of extraction and intensity. The finish is almost sweet, followed by good acidity. It shows great aromatic perfection, length and a very accentuated style. SUPERIORE.DE

While Franciacorta has long enjoyed worldwide fame, a quiet revolution is taking place in the hills of the Alta Langa. Here, where the Piedmontese provinces of Cuneo, Alessandria and Asti stretch towards the Ligurian Apennines, the sparkling wine that impresses connoisseurs with its freshness, precision and mineral depth is produced at an altitude of up to 700 metres. Pecchenino, which has been in family hands since the late 18th century and is traditionally known for its great Dolcetto and Barolo, ventured into this small but fine DOCG in 2012 with impressive success – with impressive success. The name "Psea" refers to the village of Pezzea in the municipality of Bossolasco, where Chardonnay and Pinot Nero are rooted in chalky soils at an altitude of 700 metres. The cool climate with pronounced day-night temperature fluctuations enables optimal ripening while maintaining lively acidity – the freshness that makes Alta Langa so unique. The cuvée of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Nero first undergoes alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks before maturing for nine months in barriques. Bottling is followed by 36 months on the lees before the wine is disgorged as a pas dosé, i.e. without any dosage.

The Nebbiolo grapes for Matteo's entry-level Barolo come from his three vineyards Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra and Verduno. His style is characterised by a skilful balance between structural depth and accessibility. Brilliant ruby colour with a lively shimmer in the glass. The nose is elegant and multifaceted: wild berries, rose petals, aniseed and a fine herbal note interweave with a delicate undertone of mineral freshness. The tannin structure appears finely integrated in the mouth; clearly defined fruit and present, invigorating acidity characterise the first impression. The finish shows salty residues and an attractive length – elegant, powerful and stylish. This Barolo is a very successful introduction to the region, accessible enough to be enjoyed young, but open to time and ageing. It exemplifies a modern interpretation of the Barolo narrative: without much pathos, but with depth and origin. SUPERIORE.DE

San Sebastiano. A small church south-west of Monforte d'Alba, surrounded by vineyards that flow gently down to the only natural lake in the Langhe. "Bricco Lago" – the hill by the lake. Here, on clay and limestone soils, in an area of unrivalled biodiversity, the Nebbiolo vines that produce Lucas and Elena's "Baby Barolo" take root. Plots planted in 1969 and 1995 – old vines that give depth and complexity. Monforte's ferrous character, its reddish colour, its spicy nose – can all be found here. However, Luca deliberately vinifies differently to his upcoming Barolos. Not whole-cluster fermentation, but whole berries – to avoid excessive vigour and preserve finesse. Five days of cold maceration, then 21 days of simple, traditional, non-invasive fermentation with minimal pumping over. After fermentation, the grape skins remain submerged in the wine for another five days to gently extract further flavours and silky tannins – an innovative technique for more complexity without bitterness. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Matured for one year in small barrels, then bottled in autumn.

Nizza is the youngest and at the same time most demanding DOCG in Piedmont. Officially recognised in 2014, originating as a subzone of Barbera d'Asti Superiore from the turn of the millennium, it comprises 18 carefully selected municipalities of Monferrato, all concentrated on those hilly, calcareous-sandy soils of the tertiary sedimentary layers that give Barbera its characteristic depth and minerality. Tenuta Olim Bauda has been one of its most convincing interpreters right from the start. The vineyards are located in the heart of the production zone, between Nizza Monferrato and Incisa Scapaccino, sandy-loamy soils on exposed south-facing slopes, historical vines next to younger plots. Hand-picked in the first and second week of October, pressing in the evening, fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature. Then matured for 30 months in 25-hectolitre French Allier oak barrels – more time than required by the Riserva regulations, and that was a conscious decision.

There are said to be vineyards in Piedmont that do not like Nebbiolo. The Vigneto Fossati in the highest location in the municipality of Barolo is one of them: gravelly-sandy soil, morning sun exposure, 420 to 450 metres. Aldo Vajra planted it with Riesling in 1985 – out of conviction, which sounded rather provocative at the time. A second vineyard chapter was added: the Cascina Bertoni in Sinio, exposed to the north-east, calcareous and homogeneous. Pétracine, whose name means "Riesling" in Piedmontese, comes from both vineyards – and at the same time sounds like stone and roots. The clonal vines come from the Rhine, the Moselle, the Palatinate and Alsace: austere German minerality meets Alsatian creaminess and Piedmontese terroir. Gentle pressing, short cold clarification, 15 to 20 days fermentation in steel, ageing in stainless steel until spring – no intervention that does not serve the precision of this rare wine.

Disanfrancesco – di San Francesco. Two plots in La Morra that bear the name of St Francis and are located right next to Brunate, the famous MGA from which the great Voerzio Baroli come. If you want to understand what that means, you just need to know: Roberto Voerzio is considered one of the producers with the lowest yields in the entire Barolo zone. Less than one bottle per vine. The first vintage of Disanfrancesco was released in 2001 – when Voerzio made the decision to vinify his best Nebbiolo below the Barolo appellation: more accessible, drinkable earlier, but still with the relentless vineyard philosophy of the house. South-east exposure, around 450 metres, 6,000 to 8,000 vines per hectare, maximum 1.5 kilograms per vine. Natural yeasts, steel, then 12 months in tonneaux at 30% new, followed by a further 8 months in 25-hectolitre barrels and steel. No filtration, no fining, no intervention.

While the white Oudeis captures the complexity of the Alta Langa in its purest form, its pink-coloured brother adds another dimension: the soul of Pinot Nero. Because here it is the red grape alone that expresses the terroir. Saignée, the French word for "bloodletting", describes the method: a short maceration on the skins extracts just enough colour and fruit from the must to achieve that shimmering onion skin tone that shines so seductively in the glass. The grapes come from altitudes between 300 and 550 metres in the municipalities of Bubbio, Loazzolo, Trezzo Tinella and Vesime – the grapes come from calcareous clay soils, which give the wine its mineral tension. After manual harvesting, the grapes are cooled with carbon dioxide snow and the must is left to rest for two to four hours under nitrogen before gentle pressing. This is followed by six months of bâtonnage and 36 months of yeast storage in the historic cellar vaults.

The name says it all – and a piece of wine history. Maggiorina refers to a training system that is older than viticulture in the Langhe: three vines grow at the four cardinal points, a pre-Roman legacy perfected in the 19th century by Alessandro Antonelli, the architect of the Mole Antonelliana, born in nearby Maggiora. What sounds like a folkloristic detail today is reality: Christoph Künzli cultivates these 80 to 100-year-old vines exclusively by hand – machines have no access here. More than ten indigenous grape varieties, both red and white, come together in the glass: Croatina and Nebbiolo form the foundation, Vespolina, Erbaluce, Malvasia and almost forgotten varieties such as Durasa, Slarina and Rastajola complete the ensemble. After spontaneous fermentation and brief maceration, the wine matures for twelve months in stainless steel.

In the rolling hills of Castelnuovo Calcea lies the Montemareto vineyard, a privileged parcel in the heart of the Nice DOCG zone, where Michele Chiarlo has relied on old, low-yielding Barbera vines for decades. The 2021 vintage benefited from a balanced vegetation cycle: a mild spring, warm, dry summer months and cool September nights resulted in perfectly ripe, concentrated berries. A deep ruby red colour with violet hues shines in the glass. The bouquet opens with juicy black cherry, ripe plums and dark berries, underpinned by violets, liquorice and fine roasted aromas. On the palate, the Barbera is powerful and supple at the same time, with rich fruit, present but well-integrated acidity and a fine-grained tannin that lends structure. The long, harmonious finish carries notes of sweet tobacco, herbs and a subtle almond flavour. A Barbera wine of remarkable depth and balance – full of character, storable and a worthy ambassador of the Nice terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

With around two grams of residual sugar, this high-quality spumante from the Alta Langa, which was produced using the champagne method, is a particularly dry representative of its kind. The Chardonnay grapes come from clay and limestone terroir around 450 metres above sea level in the small municipality of Neviglie. Fresh and floral on the nose with beautiful citrus and subtle yeast notes. Fine perlage, harmonious on the palate with a fine creaminess and a multi-layered finish. SUPERIORE.DE

As usual, the grapes come from a selection of old vines from the Mosconi, Gabutti and Ravera parcels, whose chalky and clayey soils lend the wines fine minerality and structure. The wines are matured separately by vineyard for around 12 months in used barriques before the cuvée is blended. Dense ruby red colour with a purple core – a glance into the glass already reveals the depth of this vintage. The bouquet reveals a multi-layered aroma of ripe cherry, plum and dark berries, accompanied by hints of violet, liquorice and a touch of dried herbs. Juicy and focussed on the palate, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and supple tannins. The 2023 appears a touch fresher and more youthful than its predecessor, but retains the balance of regional roots and the finely nuanced style for which Chiara Boschis is known. SUPERIORE.DE

The still young DOC Colli Tortonesi is probably still one of the least known wine regions in Piedmont. The term Derthona is already used as a generic term. It is the old name for Tortona, a small village in the centre of the DOC. The indigenous white grape variety Timorasso led a shadowy existence for many years, but today some winegrowers are already calling it the "white Barolo". This is due to its great complexity and finesse on the one hand and the excellent ageing potential of the wines on the other. In addition, the grapes often vary in size and ripeness during the harvest, which makes selection a major challenge, just as with the great Nebbiolo crus.

Arneis means "little rascal" in Piedmontese – the little pain in the arse. Difficult to grow, prone to over-ripening, almost forgotten for decades. Bruno Giacosa was one of two producers who saved the grape variety from extinction in the late 1960s by bottling and marketing it as a single variety – at a time when hardly anyone understood why. Today, it is impossible to imagine the Roero without Arneis. And the Giacosa specimen remains the reference. The grapes come from selected vineyards in Vezza d'Alba, Monteu Roero, Santo Stefano Roero, Canale and Montà d'Alba – long-standing suppliers that Bruno Giacosa has personally selected. Foreign vineyards, own signature. 23 to 34-year-old vines on the sandy soils of the Roero, the ancient seabed north of the Tanaro, which gives the Arneis a natural lightness and aromatic strength that clay terroirs never achieve. Vinification purist: spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks, 25 to 30 days, without malolactic fermentation – the freshness and acidity remain intact. Four months sur lie, one month bottle ageing. Bottled in February 2025, no wood, no intervention that is not necessary.