A Piedmont Wine Journey: The Noble Nebbiolo and the King of Italian Wines
We joyfully embraced the opportunity to join Vines Global on their most recent Italian wine adventure. We visited Tuscany with them in 2023, tasted superb Brunellos and Super-Tuscans and created our very own 2020 Vintage Brunello- GALAHAD. We proudly display our label on the cover page of Montaigne and Me. In 2024, we travelled to Taormina, Sicily and completed a wonderful deep dive into the emerging wines from Mt Etna. Great fun!! For 2025, we chose Piedmont (Piemonte) for our annual wine trek- a wine fix really. We spent a pleasant and busy three days in Turin and then transferred to Castello Guarene- a Baroque era castle and now a first class hotel in the heart of Piedmont wine country. We were joined by the Vines winemaking and leadership team and 14 other wine lovers. it was intense. We had tastings and tours at 4 leading and cutting edge wineries and had three wine dinners where we joined by representatives of 2 other fantastic wineries. We tasted 53 wines and were exposed to the finest examples of Piedmont regional cuisine imaginable. Our timing was excellent because the white truffle season was in full flower. It was very special and borderline decadent. The weather was perfect, the company warm and engaging, the food was mouth-watering and the wine is truly world class. We are happy to share the the experience with our readers. Turin was the subject of a posting several weeks ago and I will now supplement that effort with snapshots of both the “wine” and “food” highlights.
The entire Piedmont region has a way of getting under your skin. There is something very attractive about the combination of series winemaking, a genuine warmth from your gracious hosts and the landscape of endless vines covering steep hills that just feels… RIGHT. Piedmont is nestled in the shadows of the Alps in the far northwest corner of Italy. It is recognised by wine aficionados as one of the world’s most distinguished wine regions, but it is often overlooked when Americans plan their excursions to Italy. The rolling terrain of Langhe is a Unesco World Heritage site. The star of the wine show is the Nebbiolo grape. It is the land of Barolo and Barbaresco- the King and Queen of the Italian wine. Many of the estates are family owned and managed and there is overwhelming commitment to perfecting their craft. They are traditionalists because they have been doing it for generations, but also modern and innovative in technique and philosophy. Piedmont generates 5% of Italy’s wine production and 18% of the country’s wine exports. The climate nurtures the Nebbiolo grape- cold winters, long hot summers and a harvest season of morning mists and thick fog. Vineyards are 200 to 500 meters above sea level. The soil is clay calcium carbonate, sandshells, clay and limestone- depending on your elevation and location.
We received a full court educational primer on the soil, climate and unique characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape. It was enlightening and necessary because our personal experience with wines from Piemonte has been quite limited. We consume legendary quantities of Italian wines, but the Barolos and Barbarescos have taken a back seat because the vintages sold in the United States in restaurants and at retail wine shops are VERY EXPENSIVE. The wines also require substantial aging and therefore test the patience of your standard issue American wine consumer. 5 years is a minimum and wine gurus recommend 10-20 years to truly appreciate the strength, balance and elegance of the wines. I have been intellectually familiar with the awesome reputation of Barolos and Barbarescos, but the beauty of this trip was the total immersion we experienced in a concentrated time frame. I am sold! The challenge now is to translate the knowledge into continuing opportunities to sample the best- particularly when based in Rome where the sticker shock is less pronounced than in Chicago or Miami.
Nebbiolo is at the heart of Piedmont’s wine identity. The grape is associated with distinctive “tar and roses” aromatics, a rather pale garnet colour and formidable tannins. Barolo is the KING. it is produced in 11 communes south of Alba. The magic lies in the diverse soils. Granted DOCG status in 1980. Barolo demands rigorous aging before release- a minimum of 38 months total with 18 months in oak. This extended maturation is essential to moderate the overwhelming tannins. Barbaresco is the QUEEN and is comprised of four communities northeast of Alba. The altitude is slightly lower than Barolo and a warmer microclimate produces wines that are more approachable than Barolo. In our tastings, they displayed more finesse and elegance at an early stage. They are also DOCG and require 26 months of aging with 9 months in oak. Finally, Langhe Nebbiolo is DOC and the aging requirements are minimal- typically about 12 months. These wines are a cost effective alternative to Barolo and Barbaresco and they offer wine lovers a good entry point into the world of 100% Nebbiolo grape wines. They are produced at lower elevations and in less desirable terroir. They are fruit forward and very drinkable. Final teaching note- with any Italian wine look for the DOCG or DOC classification on the bottle. DOCG is the highest classification with strict regulations on yields, grape varietals, winemaking methods and aging. DOC is the second tier but, the requirements are less burdensome. Piedmont also produces some great DOC wines that are not Nebbiolo, including Barbera, Dolcetto and Roero.
There are over 200 great producers in Piedmont. We offer profiles on our new best friends, the winemakers we visited and dined with on our journey. We will make every effort to be loyal to them in our future purchases. They were lovely people with compelling family histories and a track record of creating outstanding wines.
1. AGRICOLA BRANDINI: This winery is located in the heart of La Morra. It is relatively young, but has quickly established itself among Barolo’s elite. It was founded by Piero Bagnasca and is now run by his daughters Giovanna and Serena. We spent four hours with Serena and she is amazing. The estate farms 18 hectares organically and the wines are aged in large oak casks with minimal sulphur additions. They produce four Cru single vineyard Barolos and each showcases distinct features based on the terroir. They are committed to preserving the natural character of the soil and are very forward thinking on climate change. The Brandini experience revealed the human side of Barolo- a family working together and producing wines of purity and balance.We bought a case- 3 bottles each of their 4 signature Barolos. 6 are already gone and the reactions of our guests and friends has been ultra positive.
2. CONTERNA FANTINO: Guido Fantina married Alda Conterno in 1982 and they launched one of Barolo’s most innovative estates. In the mid 1980’s they earned the moniker “Les Enfants Terribles” because they made the unprecedented decision to age Barolo in French oak barrels with shorter maceration periods. It was heresy but ultimately influenced an entire generation of new Barolo winemakers. They farm 27 hectares and pioneered organic viticulture in 1996 before it became fashionable. They installed geothermic systems in 2008 for sustainability. Their flagship Barolos have received a phenomenal 98 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. The entire family works at the winery and we met a legion of them. They are modernists and they make “cool” wines.
3. G.D VAJRA: This winery represents the incredible pioneering and risk taking spirit that dominates Piedmont winemaking. Also Vajra was 15 years old when he took over his family’s declining vineyards with a dream to revive his family’s winemaking legacy. No banking or law practice pathway for him!! Aldo is a visionary and we met him and his wife Milena during our visit. We also met Giuseppe and Francesca, two of their three children- all work full time at the winery today. Aldo set the tone. He was a visionary. He acquired the region’s first organic certification in 1971. The estate is now 40 hectares with about a quarter devoted to Barolos. They are bold and also have experimented with Dolcetto, Freisa and Riesling grapes. The vineyards are high altitude (380-480 meters) and the rocky and chalky soil produces signature fresh, clean, crisp and aromatic wines with a “Burgundian” style and elegance. What makes G.D Vajra special goes beyond the wines. The family is charismatic and authentic. Giuseppe should run for office. The warmth is genuine. The winery itself features stunning stained glass windows that create almost a spiritual atmosphere.
4. MATTEO CORREGGIA: This winery is in Roero- not Barolo or Barbaresco. It was founded in 1985 by Matteo. He revolutionised Langhe winemaking almost immediately, but then died tragically in 2001. His wife Ornella assumed control and now manages the operation with her son. Interestingly, the son is married to Serena Brandisi of Agricola Brands mentioned above. Matteo Correggia farms organically using only manure as fertiliser. They avoid all chemical weed control products and minimise sulphur use. The sandy soils of Roero produce Nebbiolo and Barbera wines that are fresh and lively. I loved the Nebbiolo “Val die Preti” which is made from 30 year old vines and aged 12 months in French oak. They also produce an outstanding white- Arneis- deploying the star white grape in red focused Piedmont. They are also more price friendly than our other recommendations.
5. DIEGO MORRA: This winery was established in the 1940’s and spans 30 hectares. They are in the far northern corner of the Barolo zone. We met Francesca Morro who is married to Diego Morra- a third generation family owner. The Barolo Monvigliero was tremendous. They are also committed to organic farming. They were exceptional hosts at a fantastic wine dinner. They are knowledgeable and passionate and the wines were elegant and approachable. Honored to meet the family.
The magic of the Piedmont region lies in this combination: world class wines, stunning UNESCO protected landscapes, gracious family hospitality and profound respect for the land and the art of making wine. When you experience a great Barolo, you are experiencing generations of knowledge, the expressions of unique and specific hillsides and the passions of families who chose this challenging and awarding life Each estate we visited contributes to this Piedmont tapestry. I salute Piedmont- where every bottle tells a story.
