Piedmont (or Piemonte) wines are made in the northwestern corner of Italy. With the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Alps to the north and west, the Piedmont region enjoys a continental climate. This means cold winters and very warm, dry summers, with dense fog common in the fall. Most of the highly acclaimed Piedmont wines are from the south-central, Alba area, and also from the Asti and Alessandria, slightly farther east and north.
The region’s most lauded wines, Barolo and Barbaresco, come from the Nebbiolo grape, whose ancestral home is Piedmont. The best Barolo and Barbaresco wines are produced in small quantities on a number of mostly south-facing ridges sitting above the October fog (nebbia) in the Langhe hills around Alba (also the country’s white truffle capital). The considerably less expensive reds Dolcetto and Barbera have garnered wide acclaim in export markets in the last ten years--due in part to the elevated price tags of Barolo and Barbaresco.
The growing popularity of Piedmont gastronomy has also contributed to the interest in local wines. The innate acidity and taut structure of Piedmont wines make for an invigorating backdrop to the region’s hearty meat dishes. The wines’ complex earthy/ floral personality also works amicably with the other local star, the truffle. As the worlds of good wine and good food continue to merge, an area known for both is bound to prosper.
In terms of whites, Gavi is the most popular from Piedmont and it’s also the most widely available in the U.S. Gavi is produced almost entirely from the Cortese grape planted in the province of Alessandria, in the region’s extreme south. Gavi di Gavi wines are produced in vineyards bordering the town of Gavi. Most all of these whites are very dry, and feature a mid-level complexity and concentration. The best of them are crisp but they commonly come up short on verve and grip, and are best enjoyed early.
Decanter, 97 points: Decanter World Wine Awards 2020. Intense raspberry and rose petal nose. Supple attack, silky and poised, creamy without heaviness, and there are sufficient tannins to give structure and texture. Ethereal and complex...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Earthy and delicious, this opens with aromas of ripe dark-skinned berry, new leather, truffle and crushed botanical herb. The structured, expressive palate delivers crushed black cherry, mature raspberry, tobacco and the...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: A soft, fruity red with strawberry and smoke undertones, as well as spices. Full-bodied. Chewy, round and racy at the end. Very structured and linear. Give it time to open. Better after 2022 and onwards.
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: Aromas of leather, forest floor, mature black-skinned berry, graphite and pipe tobacco form the nose on this classic expression of Barolo. On the structured, delicious palate, taut, polished tannins support juicy Marasca...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: A pristine red, displaying great clarity to the strawberry, cherry, rose and menthol flavors. By the time this evolves to the finish, the tannins make their mark, yet never overstep their bounds. In the end this is...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The Ca' Rome' 2016 Barolo Cerretta opens to a deep ruby color and pretty aromatic intensity. The bouquet is authentic and pristine with wild berry aromas, blood orange, aniseed and campfire ash. There's even a cheerful...
Wine Enthusiast, 94 points: Violet, rose, ripe berry and minty aromas mingle with earthy whiffs of truffle, leather and game. The delicious, juicy palate doles out fleshy Marasca cherry, crushed black raspberry, licorice and tobacco framed in chewy...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: Starting off this tasting of new Riservas from Produttori del Barbaresco is the 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Pora. This is a beautifully elegant and silky wine with a soft entry of wild berry fruit, lilac and wild rose. The...
Wine Spectator, 93 points: Moderately rich and round, this red boasts cherry, white pepper, earth and light underbrush flavors. Balanced, this lingers with a tangy hint of peppery greens. Best from 2022 through 2035. 4,166 cases made. — BS
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Raspberry coulis, dried red plums, vanilla, cedar and spice box make for a pronounced and beguiling nose. Full-bodied and very powerful on the palate, yet the tannins are polished and the acidity focused and refreshing...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: (95+ points) Another wine of importance from La Spinetta, this is a well-structured and compact expression with lots of dark fruit and ripe berries buried within. The 2016 Barbaresco Valeirano Vürsù, sporting a fittingly...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: The 2010 Barolo Vigna Cerretta is a wine of enormous intensity and textural richness. Compact, heavier soils result in a bold, velvety quality of fruit with lingering tones of dark plum and prune over spice and leather...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: Always one of my favorite wines from Produttori del Barbaresco, the 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello lays out a broad and soft mouthfeel, with tannins that have already been polished and integrated thanks to ample time in...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: Fragrant, this red reveals rose, strawberry, cherry, white pepper and mineral aromas and flavors. Sleek and elegant, with fine harmony and expression. The firm structure provides definition and drives the lingering...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: The Conterno Fantino 2016 Barolo Castelletto Vigna Pressenda (with 6,500 bottles produced) draws its fruit from a 1.2-hectare site in Monforte d'Alba with silty soils mixed with sand and clay. It opens to bright cherry...
Wine Enthusiast, 100 points: A dazzling showing that combines Old School structure with finesse, this stunning red offers sublime aromas of rose, camphor, dark-skinned berry and new leather. Full bodied and delicious, the compelling palate delivers...
Wine Spectator, 94 points: A pretty red, leading with rose, strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors allied to an elegant frame, this is firmly structured, if a bit lacier in texture than many 2015s, with accents of earth, tobacco and tar. Ends...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Camphor, rose, brown spice and wild herb aromas mingle with an earthy whiff of new leather. Round and juicy, the savory palate doles out raspberry compote, ripe Morello cherry, star anise and cinnamon alongside polished...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Camphor, dark spice, wild herbs and woodland berry aromas shape the nose. On the focused palate, bright acidity and taut, refined tannins accompany crushed raspberry, juicy Marasca cherry and star anise. Mint and orange...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Black-skinned berry, iris, leather, hazelnut and menthol aromas whiff of forest floor. The smooth, full-bodied palate shows tension and finesse, offering fleshy black cherry, espresso and licorice alongside fine-grained...
Wine Enthusiast, 94 points: Compelling aromas of fragrant blue flower, red berry, crushed herb, new leather and tilled earth shape the nose. On the savory, full-bodied palate, taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity frame flavors of ripe...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: I had tasted this vintage last year as a barrel sample. Now a fully complete wine, the 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Pora did not disappoint, and even jumped up a few points. The Riserva Pora opens to dark fruit intensity with...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91 points: This is the most accessible of the five expressions of Barbera (from both Alba and Asti) made by Vietti. The 2018 Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne opens to dark cherry and blackberry with good textural richness at the back. There...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: Sweet berries, smoke, cedar and olives on the nose. Floral. Full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and a pretty background and ripe fruit. Flavorful finish. Hints of bitter citrus and smoke, too. Very complex. Powerful for...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: Very perfumed with black cherries and dried flowers. Some orange peel, too. Full-bodied, round and very silky. Love the finish. A beauty. Wait and try in 2021.
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