The story of Piazzo is one of resilience, determination and a deep love for the Langhe and for its flagship grape, Nebbiolo. The passion and forethought of Armando Piazzo and Gemma Veglia, drove them to start a life project, against all odds, in the land of Barbaresco.
‘50 years ago, buying vineyards from those who were escaping the hardship of post-war countryside Italy was less than an obvious choice,’ recalls Simone Allario Piazzo, a member of the third generation at the helm of the estate and the young Vice President of the Enoteca del Barbaresco. ‘But my grandparents took a gamble and defined their own path. And time has proven them right!’
A brave lineage
With the same tenacity that defined the project’s inception, Piazzo has seen an important expansion in the last decade. Second generation Marina Piazzo, alongside husband Franco Allario, have created a winery of international reputation, with vineyards covering 70 hectares across the best areas of Langhe and Roero. These yield fruit of great purity and nuanced complexity, producing award-winning Barbarescos and Barolos. Their sons Simone and Marco are now taking the family’s project to the next level, investing in research and innovation while remaining firmly rooted in tradition.
The project for a new winery, set to be completed in 2025, is the company’s next big step. Designed by Alba-based Studio Gallo Architetti, the space’s concept ‘is strongly linked to our vision of wine and of who we are,’ explain Simone and Marco. The building will be a clear reflection of Piazzo’s philosophy and evolution: a new state-of-the-art vinification area will be followed by an underground tunnel with an archival wine library; the tunnel will in turn lead to a barrel room, the offices and a tasting room. This traces Piazzo’s ethos itself: a focus on the best winemaking knowledge, informed by history and tradition, whose ultimate goal is to deliver the pleasure of drinking great wines.
Effort and recognition
Piazzo’s hard work and innovative spirit is translated into a broad range of wines that has been consistently recognised with multiple awards and international accolades. The newly-released 2019 vintage of Barbaresco Pajorè was given a 95-points nod at Decanter’s recent Barbaresco Panel Tasting, with the judging panel highlighting the wine’s ‘sumptuous nose, concentration, structure and soft palate full of details.’ This year also saw the release of the Barolo Valente, the culmination of a laborious process of conversion of multiple vineyards in Novello to the Green Experience sustainability protocol. As of 2022 all of Piazzo’s wines will have this sustainability certification, an affirmation of the company’s commitment to mindful use of resources and biodiversity. And in March 2023, Piazzo will release its very first Alta Langa DOCG, a traditional method sparkling wine that again bridges the deep tradition of Piedmont with Piazzo’s determination to always go one step further.
