Piedmont is probably best known for the fine wine giants Barolo and Barbaresco, though alongside these are also plenty of other excellent wines to explore, such as Barbera and Dolcetto, as well as high quality white wines.

As home to the truffle-hunting region of Alba, there’s also a strong food culture in Piedmont, with regional dishes such as Agnolotti del plin and vitello tonnato.

Piedmont is also the only Italian region with no IGTs, and is the second largest producer of DOC and DOCG wines. There are amazing wines to be found, and if you know where to look – as our knowledgeable Jeroboams buying team do – some real value too.

Nebbiolo

The key variety of the region is Nebbiolo, producing wines that are highly perfumed and the best have wonderful aromatics of rose petals and florals, as well as some autumnal, truffle qualities. Barolo and Barbaresco are the leading fine wines made from this variety and can prove to be outstanding value compared to other fine wine regions.

‘Barolo has much in common with Burgundy, a patchwork of vineyards with nuanced terroirs and multiple ownership, many small producers of varying ability and a grape variety that expresses these differences beautifully,’ said Jeroboams Wine Director, Peter Mitchell MW.

2017 Barolo, Diego Conterno

This has a lovely sweetness of dark fruits, with full ripe tannins and fine acidity, this is a joyously complex wine which is already giving pleasure now but will also last for many years to come.

2018 Barbaresco, Ronchi, La Bioca

A wine with an intense palate, with savoury fruit, earth notes and fine tannins, which can be enjoyed now or aged further.

Barbera and Dolcetto

Other indigenous grapes also flourish in Piedmont, such as Dolcetto, making fruity, low tannin wines and Barbera, a high tannin, high acidity variety, which was once widely planted across Italy but is now producing more refined wines. Producing bright, fruit-driven wines, these are ready for drinking and to be enjoyed with food.

2020 Dolcetto d’Alba, Bel Colle

A red for a warm summer’s day – with intense cherry fruit, lavender and liquorice – so lightly chill this wine before serving.

2020 Barbera D’Asti, Luca Bosio

Bright cherry and plum fruit balance nicely with bright acidity. One to try with truffle dishes or roast pork.

Piedmont white wines

It’s not just about the reds, Piedmont also produces excellent quality white wines, that do not always get wide recognition. Cortese is a high acidity white grape, known predominantly for the wines of Gavi, with light citrus notes and can develop an almond note with some ageing. Vermentino also grows in the region, under the name Favorita, producing fresh, lively wines – and some international varieties are grown, such as the exquisite Chardonnay below. The majority of Italy’s Moscato Bianco is found in Piedmont, in Alessandiria where it makes sparkling wines Asti and Moscato d’Asti.

2020 Langhe Favorita, Bel Colle

A bone dry wine, with white fruits, lemon and a touch of melon on the palate and some body thanks to 4 months lees ageing. A great aperitif wine to serve with canapes.

2019 Langhe Chardonnay, Bussia, La Bioca

A charming Chardonnay, showing a nose full of apple pastry and preserved lemon notes. Coming from one of the greatest vineyards of Barolo, “Bussia is showing itself as capable of producing top class Chardonnay and this rich and exotic example shows why” said Peter Mitchell MW.

Join us for our Festa Piemonte, a special opportunity to taste the 2018 Barolo and 2019 Barbarescos, as well as a few surprise bottles and vintages.

Shop our Piedmont wines here.