Wines of Piemonte

Take a trip to Northern Italy with me…to Piemonte

Barolo, referred to as “the wine of kings, the king of wines” is the most admired wine from this region. It’s made from the Nebbiolo grape, and these wines are bold, complex, and meant to age for many years. Barbaresco is also made from the Nebbiolo grape, but these wines are a little softer and thus, can be consume a little younger. Both wines are best when served with food, because of their high tannin quality (tannin is what makes you mouth feel dry).

While these are delicious wines, they are not what I’d call “easy drinking”, nor are they easy on the pocketbook. During the sizzling summer months, we need light and fun wines that don’t break the bank. The red wine, Dolcetto, from this region checks these boxes—it’s light body, fruity (mainly red fruits like cherry), fun and affordable. These wines can pair with a variety of foods from pizza to grilled burgers and summer veggie pasta dishes.

The white wines from Piemonte—Gavi made from the Cortese grape and Roero Arneis made from the Arneis grape—are often overlooked. But they also check all the boxes for an ideal summer quaff that can pair with fresh summer dishes. Gavi will be fresh and crisp with citrus and apple notes, whereas Arneis will have floral and stone fruit (peach, apricot) notes, but be a little rounder due to its lower acidity.

Enjoy your travels to Piemonte and check back for more info on Italian wines…