When it comes to Piemonte, or Piedmont, you're in for a delightful wine journey. This Italian region offers a diverse range of wine styles, from the robust and age-worthy red wines crafted from Nebbiolo grapes to the delicate, sweet, and fizzy white wines like Moscato d'Asti. Renowned as one of Italy's most acclaimed wine growing regions, Piemonte is a must-visit for wine enthusiasts.
Overview of the Piemonte Region
The name Piemonte, meaning "at the foot of the mountains," perfectly captures its stunning location nestled at the base of the Alps. Sharing borders with France and Switzerland, this region offers a picturesque setting for winemaking.
With a winemaking tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, Piemonte boasts a rich history. The castle of Rivoli documented early references to Nebbiolo wine as early as 1266, while the village of Canale in the Roero noted it in 1303.
Although modest in size compared to other Italian wine regions, Piemonte makes up for it with an exceptional focus on quality. Geographically, it is the second largest region in Italy, while being the seventh largest in terms of wine production. The region's commitment to producing top-quality wines is evident.
Piemonte wine production accounts for nearly 18 percent of Italy's total wine exports. The region is divided into two distinct winemaking areas, as you can see on the Piemonte Wine Map Poster. One is situated northeast of Turin, while the other, the region's heartland, is located southeast of the city, encompassing the provinces of Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo. The Langhe and the Monferrato hills are home to the highest concentration of vineyards in Piemonte.
Piemonte is renowned for its exceptional red wines crafted from Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto grapes, as well as its whites made from Cortese, Arneis, and Moscato. Two of the most esteemed wines in the region, Barolo and Barbaresco, are both made from Nebbiolo grapes. Remarkably, around 75% of Piemonte's total wine production holds the prestigious DOC or DOCG classification.
Understanding Italian Wine Appellations
To fully appreciate Piemonte's wines, in addition to studying the Piemonte wine map, it's helpful to understand Italy's wine categorization system. This knowledge will assist you in deciphering Italian wine labels, wherever you may come across them.
DOCG, DOC, and IGT are distinct appellations representing different wine regions that adhere to specific rules for producing quality wines unique to their respective areas.
DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) represents the highest level of quality control. These winePies undergo rigorous production methods and must pass both taste and lab tests to ensure the highest quality standards. The rules encompass aspects such as alcohol percentage, production quantities, and grape harvesting limits.
DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is a step below DOCG but still maintains strict rules regarding vine density, harvesting practices, and production methods. The majority of wines consumed in Italy fall into this category.
IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) represents the lowest level of quality checks. While still subject to certain rules, IGT wines offer more flexibility. It's worth noting that this category often showcases some of the most intriguing wines, especially in Tuscany.
Piemonte Wines You Must Experience
Based on a compilation of critics' scores, regularly updated and weighted according to the number of reviews and critics, the following Piemonte wines come highly recommended.The wines below are all produced in regions that you can find on the Piedmont wine map:
Critics score: 96 / 100
Critics score: 96 / 100
Critics score: 95 / 100
Critics score: 95 / 100
Critics score: 94 / 100
Critics score: 94 / 100
Critics score: 94 / 100
The Piemonte wine map poster is not only a beautiful piece of art, it also provides a natural way to improve knowledge of the Piemonte region.