Piedmont

Piedmont is a region of great wines, famous for its aged reds, the great Barolo or Barbaresco, and for its sparkling wines, such as Asti Spumante Docg, Moscato d’Asti, Brachetto d’Acqui and others. Wine culture and traditions are very strong. For example, in the village of Barbaresco, for years, newborn babies have been welcomed with a parchment and a gift of 12 bottles of Barbaresco Docg wine, of the same vintage year as the babies' year of birth. Wine tourists can admire interesting villages, castles, hillside vineyards, enjoy high quality specialty foods, such as pasta, meat and cheese, visit historic or innovative wineries. They can follow numerous Wine Routes, running through vineyards in the mild Langhe zone or in the more rugged Roero territory.

Vineyards in the Langhe, during Spring

Winter landscape in the Langhe

Asti and Monferrato

Landscape of vineyards in the Monferrato, in the province of Asti

In the Monferrato territory, a hilly and mountainous area between Piedmont and Liguria, you can follow the Alto Monferrato Wine Trail. Along the route you can admire the hills and forests of the Casale area, visit the vineyards and wineries producing Brachetto and Moscato near Acqui, the medieval castles of the Dolcetto di Ovada zone; and finally get to Novi and Gavi, where chocolate and white wines are produced, like the Bianco di Gavi

(www.altomonferrato.it). The Monferrato Astigiano Wine Trail runs from Moncalvo to San Martino Alfieri, where one of the most beautiful royal palaces of Piedmont is located. Here, since June 2009, wine tourists have been able to taste the wines of the territory, from Grignolino to Dolcetto d’Asti, in the Enoteca Regionale Colline Alfieri dell’Astigiano, at San Damiano d’Asti. Along the Astesana Wine Trail, in the beautiful hilly territory between the right bank of the Tanaro River and the Apennines, the wine tourist can choose among 8 different itineraries: “I Colli Astiani“, “I Bricchi“, “Canelli e le terre d’oro” , “Le Colline di Nizza“, “Lauretum“, “La Langa Astigiana“, “The Castles” and “The Town and Vineyards of Asti“. More than 16 Doc wines can be tasted, including the Barbera d'Asti and the aromatic white Moscato d‘Asti. (info www.astesana-stradadelvino.it).

Another interesting itinerary is the Colli Tortonesi Wine Trail, winding between the Monferrato and Oltrepò Pavese territories, in the province of Alessandria (www.stradacollitortonesi.com). Here you can taste the Colli Tortonesi Doc wines, like Dolcetto, Timorasso or Barbera. The Tortonese area is an interesting territory. The Scrivia stream, flowing along the soft hills of the Scrivia Valley in the Apennines, near the border with Liguria, forms an unusual geological phenomenon, the "Spur of Tortona“. Entering the Curone Valley, Tortona and the plain are left behind, and the route climbs among lush orchards, along the Curone stream, towards the highest peaks of the province: the Giarolo, the Ebro and the Chiappo mountains. In the background, the castles of Pozzol Groppo and Brignano Frascata can be seen. Art lovers can stop at Volpedo, to visit the house-museum of Giovanni Pellizza di Volpedo, famous for its painting The Fourth Estate.

Roero

The entrance of the Regional Winery of Roero at Canale (Cuneo)

The Roero area is characterized by a unique geological phenomenon: the “Rocche“, sharp, bare rock projections, emerging from the green hills. They formed about 200 thousand years ago, as part of the natural watershed between the present course of the Tanaro River and the basin of the Po River. Today these rocky formations are part of an interesting eco-museum, covering eight communes: Cisterna d’Asti, Montà, Santo Stefano Roero, Monteu Roero, Baldissero, Montaldo Roero, Sommariva Perno and Pocapaglia. The rugged contours of the Roero hills are quite different from the soft Langhe landscapes, on the south side of the Tanaro river. The most important wines of the area are the red Roero and the white Roero Arneis. They can be tasted at the “Enoteca Regionale del Roero” at Canale (Cuneo).

Turin

The Royal Wine Route of Torino comprises the Pre-Alpine belt of the Pinerolo area, the Susa Valley, the hills around Turin and the Canavese territory, with 180 communes, 25 Doc zones, and wines such as the Erbaluce di Caluso, the Bonarda Pinerolese Doc, the Nebbiolo Canavese Doc. The hilly territory south of Turin offers environmental, agricultural, historical attractions and interesting handicraft products. The wine production area in the hills east of the city, includes 28 communes, and two Doc zones, the historic Freisa di Chieri and the recent Collina Torinese. In this territory, which was historically part of the Savoy kingdom, vineyards alternate with villages, castles and churches. Among these, the Basilica of Superga, designed by the famous architect Juvarra, is a majestic building on a hill near Turin. The Canavese territory is another splendid area along the Royal Wine Route of Torino, with historical, artistic and natural treasures, high quality wines and specialty foods. In this relatively small area, altitude changes dramatically from 200 to 4000 meters above sea level. The nearby Susa Valley, for centuries a transit valley for armies, pilgrims and traders, still has monuments, related to an ancient artistic and religious culture. Wine tourists can follow the itineraries dedicated to “Alpine Religious Art“, and visit charming old towns, alpine villages, fortresses and ancient abbeys. Among these, the impressive Sacra di San Michele is now considered the symbol of Piedmont, while Pinerolo, the “City of the Cavalry”is an elegant center with arcades, museums and palaces. (info www.stradarealevinitorinesi.it).

Langhe, Barolo and Barbaresco

Barolo, the town of the wine gives the name to a great Italian and Piedmontese red wine

Wine Museum at Barolo: entrance to the Museum's third floor is the inn where all the deities of the world are seated tasting wine

The Wine Trail of Barolo and of the Great Langa Wines deserves a particular praise, for the high quality of its internationally renowned products and for its beautiful landscapes. This Wine Trail wants to rediscover the traditional wine culture of the Langhe, the territory where the great red wines of Piedmont are produced. Along the Wine Trail, a network of more than 40 wineries has been established, welcoming visitors and offering places, where to stay overnight, or stop for a meal. From Barolo to Castiglione Falletto, from Dogliani to Grinzane Cavour, wine tourists are offered guided tours, with wine tastings of Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbera or Dolcetto, accompanied by local specialty foods, such as truffles, cheeses, pastries. The “Giuseppe Gabetti Civic, Historical and Archeological Museum” at Dogliani is worth a visit. It was founded in the Seventies, after the discovery of a small Roman burial site, with a rich set of glasses and ceramics of the first century AD (info www.stradadelbarolo.it). Not to be missed is the new WiMu, the Wine Museum recently opened in Barolo. It is a spectacular building, designed by architect François Confino, who also designed the National Museum of the Cinema in Turin. The new structure is located in the splendid Falletti Castle of Barolo, and is certainly the most innovative and fascinating wine museum in Italy. The WiMu is not a traditional museum with a static collection of memorabilia. It is a real emotional journey, rich in suggestions and evocations, guiding the visitor to the discovery of the wine culture and traditions of Piedmont (info www.wimubarolo.it).

Events

An event concluding the summer season is Piacere Barbaresco, an appointment with the two latest vintages of the Barbaresco Docg wine. It takes place during the first weekend of September; workshops and shows are organized in the three towns of the prized Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso Docg designations. Every year in May, on the first three Fridays of the month, during the Barbaresco a Tavola event, the latest Barbaresco vintage is presented. Wine tastings are organized, offering local wines paired with typical Langhe dishes (info www.enotecadelbarbaresco.it).

Le Regioni d'Italia