I just returned home from a trip to Piedmont, Italy, a northern region that borders France and Switzerland.
Piedmont is also renowned for its red wines, the perfect selections during the colder months of winter. Though producers in the region make amazing white wines too, the red wines made from the grapes barbera, dolcetto, nebbiolo and grignolino are what the region is most known for. The wines are great alternatives to the better-known reds such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir. They are also great value wines. Expand your wine horizon and step outside of your comfort zone.
Grignolino. This is a very light wine, akin to an Italian pinot nero (also known as pinot noir). Sometimes its color is translucent, and it also can appear as a dark rosé-style wine. It is typically stainless steel fermented with prominent acidity, which makes it great to pair with food. My grignolino pick is the Tenuta Garetto grignolino from the area of Asti in Piedmont. This very light-bodied red has soft tannins and is best served chilled, which will enhance its raspberry and cranberry notes. Pairs best with lighter-style fish, shrimp, light hard Italian cheeses such as pecorino and pork tenderloin.
Dolcetto. This is also a lighter-style wine that is mostly made in stainless steel tanks, giving off bright red berry fruit notes with a vibrant acidity. Some are aged in oak barrels and, because of this, will result in a medium-bodied wine with deeper dark berry notes. My pick is Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani DOC for its raspberry and strawberry notes with a nutty finish. It’s aged in both stainless steel and concrete tanks and then rests for more time in stainless steel tanks. This family’s history dates back more than 125 years. Pairs best with salami, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and hazelnuts.
Nebbiolo. Of the four grapes shared here, nebbiolo is probably the best known because it is the grape used to make Barolo, the king of wines in Piedmont. However, the wine Langhe nebbiolo, not Barolo, is typically medium body in style with a vibrant acidity. Though each producer makes Langhe nebbiolo in a different style, dark berry fruit notes are a typical showing of this wine.
My pick is the Giovanni Viberti nebbiolo. A medium-sized family-owned producer, Viberti has been in existence for more than 90 years and is a prominent maker of nebbiolo and Barolo. With present tannins, the mouthfeel of this wine is round and soft. It spends approximately one year in large oak barrels before resting in stainless steel tanks for another year. Pairs best with lamb chops, duck breast and New York strip steak.
Barbera. This is one of the most widely planted grapes and produced wines in Piedmont’s Langhe area, even though nebbiolo and Barolo are often the most sought-after. It typically is a softer and less-tannic wine than a nebbiolo. It also has a bigger body style, medium to full, than all the three aforementioned wines.
However, barbera varies greatly in style with some producers only using stainless steel, giving lighter-style barberas, and others using barrel oak treatments that present a fuller body with deep dark berry fruit and nutty notes. My pick is Nadio Fiorenzo barbera. It’s a deep, richer style, velvety wine that displays plum and black cherry notes. Its tannins and richness come from its time resting in oak barrels for one year and then in stainless steel vats for another six months. Pairs best with mushroom risotto, mortadella, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and baked eggplant drizzled with parmesan cheese.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich. She can be reached through her website, www.jessicagranatiero.com or by email at jessica@thesavorygrape.com.
