Piedmont

The Piedmont region of Italy is famous not only for its wines – the likes of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero – but also its food.

The town of Alba is renowned for its truffle market, and the nearby town of Bra is home of the Slow Food movement, founded by Carlo Petrini in the 1980s.

Barolo wine region | Barbaresco wine region

Italy newsletter

Get the best recommendations, vintage analysis, regional and cultural insights and more delivered to your inbox once a month, helping you to stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

Location

The Piedmont wine region is situated in north-eastern Italy. The alps form a prominent backdrop here, bordering the region to the north and west.

It’s a hilly region that’s renowned for its fog (or ‘nebbia’, from which the grape variety took its name).

Piedmont’s vineyards in Barolo and Barbaresco have been the subject of intense analysis, and in 2010 the Consorzio approved the MGAs laid out by cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti, in consultation with many of the winemakers.

This pioneering work for the region delineates the best sites in much the same way as the Burgundian cru system.

Grapes

The most famous grape variety of the region is the thick-skinned Nebbiolo, however other red varieties include Barbera and Dolcetto.

Muscat is used for Moscato d’Asti, Cortese for Gavi, and Arneis for the whites of Roero and beyond.

Quick links Piedmont Wine reviews | Vintage reports | Italy travel guides