Wine Tourism in Piedmont
Among the variety of regions that Italy offers the wine tourist, Piedmont is one of the most singular destinations of the transalpine country; a perfect combination of culture, mountains and gastronomy capable of satisfying the most demanding traveler.
Piedmont
Piedmont is located in the north of the Italian Peninsula; the soul of its wines is determined by its geography and climate; we have to take into account that Piedmont is surrounded by the Alps from three different sides, with usually cold and rainy climatic conditions.
The vines are cultivated mainly in the hills of two main cultivation regions:
- The district of Langhe, Roero and Monferrato
- The district of Canavese, Coste della Sesia and the hills of Novara
Grapes and wines in Piedmont
The immense quality of the Piedmont wines is recognized because more than 80% of its wines enjoy a controlled Designation of Origin, so in this territory various kinds of world renowned wines are produced.
Barbaresco and Barolo
These are wines produced in the region of Langhe, to the south of Turin. These wines have always had an interesting symbiosis, up to the point that the Barbaresco wine has been considered “the wine of the “bourgeoisie” and the Barolo the “wine of the nobility”.
Both wines are made with the Nebbiolo grape, native of the region and especially complicated to cultivate and care for.
This difficulty in cultivation is at the same time the key to its success, since the thick skin that protects the grape from frosts favors its high concentration of tannins and aging potential.
Asti and Moscato d´Asti
These are two of the most renowned varieties of wines in Italy. With a production that dates back to the Roman era, the resulting wines are sweet, refreshing and have a low alcohol content (around 5,5%). The Asti is one of the most well-known sparkling wine varieties, especially appreciated for its light and elegant bubbles.
Both varieties are obtained from the Moscato white grape and have experienced an increase in exports in recent years, mainly to the United States.
Some wine tourism activities in Piedmont
Among the endless activities available to the wine tourist in all parts of Italy, wine tourism in Piedmont offers a varied range of options to satisfy all tastes and budgets.
An activity that joins culture with wine tourism in Piedmont is a visit to the Barolo Enoteca and the Ethnographic Museum, where apart from visiting the eleventh century castle in which is based, you can also learn about the history, wine production and its people.
Another range of activities to consider are the ones related with the outdoors, from visits to the most famous lake in the region, the Maggiore, to skiing in the Alps or water activities in the nerve of the region, the Po river.
Among the activities, don´t forget the ones related to wine tourism in Piedmont which offer wine tasting and sampling of other products, normally cheeses such as gorgonzola and typical sweets that are paired perfectly with wines such as Asti.
