Until at least the 1990s Piedmont was, perhaps surprisingly, best known for its sparkling wines. Nowadays, of course, thanks to the meteoric rise of Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera et al, the region is widely viewed as red wine country.
This, however, ignores a strong history of producing bubbles that dates back to long before the middle of the 19th century, when Carlo Gancia began using the Champagne method (‘metodo classico’) to ferment Moscato grapes from vineyards near Asti. This practice in turn built on the local tradition going back to the 16th century of making ‘filtrato dolce’, a low-alcohol, bubbly and sweet white wine filtered through hessian sacks to block fermentation, which subsequently morphed into today’s Asti/Moscato d’Asti DOCGs.
Though relatively new compared to other Italian denominations based on the metodo classico process, Alta Langa– granted DOC in 2002 and quickly promoted to DOCG in 2011 – is now making serious waves. It’s worth bearing in mind Piedmont’s strong historic and cultural links with France.
The Alta Langa project began in 1990 with the aim of producing premium quality sparkling wines of good ageing potential from Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) and Chardonnay grapes grown in the hills to the south and east of Alba across the provinces of Asti, Alessandria and Cuneo; previously the main varieties planted here were Moscato and Dolcetto.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Decanter.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Decanter.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pepe Raventós
A single-minded commitment to sustainability and terroir, combined with business acumen and first-class communication skills, have made his one the most interesting (and divisive) names in Spanish wine. In the end, though, all he wants is for the land to speak through his wines
DO TORO - Tasting a land and its history
In Spain's Castilla y León, DO Toro still offers the serious, powerful Tinta de Toro that established its reputation - as well as elegant, refined expressions and even organic white wines
SPANISH ICONS
For decades, there were just a few wines regarded as Spain's most revered. Recently, these have been joined by a growing cast of modern-day powerhouses that have risen rapidly to win the hearts of critics and collectors alike. Read on to discover the 10 Spanish wines you should try before you die
Wine myths debunked
Accepted wisdom isn't always especially wise. Here are four examples from the world of wine
HUGH JOHNSON - 'I've often tried offering a little First Steps in Tasting'
There are a few bottles in my gradually dwindling cellar here that have question marks over them.
THE CAMINO - A food & wine guide
Quite possibly the world's most popular Christian pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago conveniently passes through some of northern Spain's best wine- and food-producing regions
Pink gins for Valentine's Day
Turn on the romance with a pre-dinner cocktail concocted from one of these rosy spirits
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Why a range of Italian grape varieties are flourishing in Australia's soils, and what the future holds for them
Rhône 2023
In a year that was respectively 'challenging' and 'troublesome' in south and north, it will be vital to follow expert advice when it comes to finding the wines that you'll enjoy. The effects of some extreme swings in the weather were quite localised, however, so there are plenty of good wines to be found. Our Rhône expert Contributing Editor tasted 1,250 wines in all - here's a selection of 45 of his top picks
Plaimont
Preserving the wisdom of the past - to shape the wines of the future
