We’ve recently been exploring Italian wines (Borolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Montepulciano, Soave and Super Tuscans), grapes (Sangiovese and Nebbiolo) and regions (Tuscany and Chianti).

So, now let’s take a closer look at another of Italy’s great wine regions - Piedmont (or Piemonte, pronounced pee-ay-MON-tay).

Piedmont is located in the western-most part of northern Italy. With the Swiss Alps to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, it is yet another perfect region for wine. It is the home of more DOCG wines than any other Italian region.

In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is not the region's most widely planted grape, but it is the grape that is most notable. Nebbiolo grapes are prominent in four of Piedmont's DOCGs: Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara and Roero.

It is Barbera that is Piedmont's primary grape and the most widely planted. Piedmont's best Barbera wines are from Barbera del Monferrato, Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba. Barbera is thought to have originated in the hills of central Piemonte, where it has been known since the 13th century.

The third major grape of Piedmont is Dolcetto (Dol-CHET-oh). The top sub-regions of Piedmont for Dolcetto are Dogliani, Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba and Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore. Meaning the "little sweet one," Dolcetto produces dry red wines that are generally made to be enjoyed young. Unfortunately, Nebbiolo and Barbara steal the show in Piedmont and seem to leave these wines a distant third. But, Dolcetto certainly should not be overlooked. 

So, that’s just a very quick overview of Piedmont and its three most notable red wine grapes. Next time we’ll take a look at some of the white wines of Piedmont. Cheers!