The Cellar: Discoveries from Northern Italy

The Cellar: Discoveries from Northern Italy

While Italy’s northwest wine region of Piedmont is best known as the home of the great wines Barolo and Barbaresco and the delicious sparkling wines of Asti, the fact is that this great wine region offers a lot more for curious quality-minded wine consumers. With more quality (DOC/G) wines than any other region I could write dozens of articles featuring the wonderful wines from this area. Another thing that makes this region interesting to wine-nerds around the world is the many styles of wine Piedmont produces and the wide use of local grapes, as well as international varieties.  

2010 Principessa Gavia Gavi

Piedmont has 8 sub-regions, among them Alessandria - a province known for producing crisp, floral white wine based on the ancient indigenous grape Cortese. Among the most highly respected white from this area are

the ones from or around the town of Gavi. Established in 1979 by John and Harry Mariani, the single vineyard Principessa Gavia estate is dedicated exclusively to the cultivation of Cortese grapes.

The 2010 Principessa Gavia is a great alternative to those of you that like sipping Pinot Grigio on these hot summer days. It is light and crisp, with great melon and grapefruit balanced with a zingy acidity that keeps this wine vibrant and refreshing. This wine can be sipped by itself as an aperitif but would also stand up to various light dishes. 

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2009 Guidobono Langhe Nebbiolo

The red Nebbiolo grape is the star of Piedmont’s Langhe region and the principal ingredient in its most famous wines Barolo and Barbaresco. While these particular wines are subject to strict rules regarding barrel and

bottle aging, the Nebbiolo grape also makes a different style of wine - younger, less powerful and approachable much sooner. These wines often bear the regional name ‘Langhe’, like this week’s second wine. The Nebbiolo grape makes highly tannic wine – hence the strict rules regarding aging so as to smooth them – but when the winemaker knows what he or she is doing even young Nebbiolos can be extremely delicious.

Made from 100% Nebbiolo, the very limited 2009 Guidobono is exactly such a wine. The winery only made 500 cases (6,000 bottles) of this wine but because it is imported locally your wine merchant should be able to get it. Aged 8 months in large oak cask and released after only a couple of months in bottle, the aromas and flavors are youthful and fresh. This is an interesting medium-bodied wine filled with black tar, roses and vibrant cherry notes which are backed up by solid tannins and balanced with mouthwatering acidity. A great inexpensive ($15) example of what Nebbiolo brings to the table. Let this wine aerate for a couple of hours and pair it with the biggest steak or meat dish you can find.

Enjoy!

If you have any wine-related questions, comments or concerns feel free to email [email protected]. And as always, don’t forget to follow GoLocalProv’s Wine Cellar on Facebook.