Tasting Wines of Piedmont at Grandi Langhe & Touring Turin

We recently attended the tenth annual Grandi Langhe, the flagship event dedicated to the wines of Piedmont. Organized by Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani. Grandi Langhe took place in Turin January 26-27, attracting more than 6500 wine professionals from around the world. This event provided us with a terrific tasting immersion within the broad range of Piedmont wines and offered us the chance to meet with several exhibiting producers and catch up with wine industry friends from Europe and elsewhere. The many producers present include those with and without U.S. distribution. Several asked us about Louisiana connections.

Piedmont has the highest concentration of DOCG and DOC wines in Italy. Red wines comprise two thirds of Piedmont’s wines with Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto being the three main varieties. Barolo and Barbaresco, the two most renowned red wines of Piedmont, are both made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. Each has specific DOCG aging requirements which give them their powerful elegance and structure. Langhe DOC Nebbiolo offered dry medium-body reds which many have compared to a classic Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero. Roero DOCG also makes some pleasant, easy drinking Nebbiolo. We also tasted selections of Barbera and Dolcetto wines which deliver their own delightful characteristics, but given we only had two days for this event, time was not on our side.

Piedmont’s dry white wines proved to be pleasant discoveries for us. While many may be more familiar with the whites from Moscato d’Asti DOCG and Gavi DOCG wines made from the Cortese variety, we were curious to try a few other indigenous varieties that have come across our path as often, Toward the center of Piedmont, Roero DOCG Arneis is a floral, fruity wine with a hint of almond. Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG is made from the high acid Erbaluce grape grown in the upper elevations. The wines we tasted were crisp and flinty. This same grape is also used for sparkling wines.

Another white grape is Timorasso which is grown in the Colli Tortonesi DOC in southeast Piedmont. The wines tend to be more full-bodied with lively aromatics and strong acidity. The Derthona Timorasso has been called Piedmont’s “white Barolo” and compared to a white Burgundy. This is a wine we hope to revisit on a return trip and seek out in the U.S.

A special presentation of Alta Langa DOCG sparkling wines took place at the Teatro Regio opera house and was presented by the Consorzio Alta Langa. The center of production for Alta Langa sparkling wines lies in the hilly provinces of Asti, Alessandria and Cuneo on the right bank of the Tanaro River. Here, vineyards must be located at a minimum altitude of 250 meters above sea level with struct regulations on yields. Wines are made in the metodo classico using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties.

 

The word “Langhe” has a Celtic origin meaning “strips of land.” It refers to the peaks and valleys that carve out the landscape of south and central Piedmont where some the most renowned production areas are located, including Barolo and Barbaresco. In 2014 the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This trip did not provide enough time for us to experience the landscape and visit producers which we need to make happen in the future.Where we dined in Turin:

Casa Amélie Restaurant

Casa Amélie’s Chef-Owner Guido Perino will be cooking and serving you at this small, understated restaurant, named for his beloved bulldog. Here, simplicity meets creativity that sometimes works and other times you wonder. For best value, consider the three-course tasting menu (plus dessert) for 35 euros, or five courses for 50 euros with prix-fixe wine pairings priced at 20 euros and 30 euros respectively.

Since we had just small bites for aperitivos, we each chose two course a la carte: bluefish agnolotti with ricotta and pepper topped with mussels and tender octopus cooked in turnip greens and seasoned (lightly) with Jamaican pepper and marjoram. David ordered the tortelloni stuffed with Neapolitan Genovese and smoked black pepper sauce followed by braised beef cooked in Aglianico wine and dark chocolate. Address: Via Carlo Ignazio Giulio, 4b.

Ristorante Pizzeria Grattacielo

Located near our hotel, the NH Centro, this is a casual restaurant with generous and shareable portions. David enjoyed his Vitello Tonnato, and I had the thin (Roman) crust artichoke pizza. Address: Corso Bolzano 8

Cru Vini E Bocconi

We stumbled across this small wine and cocktail bar and settled in aperitivos and bocconi (small bites). While enjoying a vermouth cocktail (me) and Langhe Nebbiolo (David) we noshed on hard-boiled eggs marinated in teriyaki and topped with chopped chives and lumpfish road and beetroot canederli (bread dumpling) served with butter, sage and Toma Cheese from Val Chiusella. Address: Piazza E. Filiberto 2/d.

Focaccerie Gran Torino

At this small pizzeria we tried the farinata di ceci (a savory chickpea flatbread) and slices of foccacia-crusted pizza. Address: Piazza Castello, 153

Baratti e Milano

Built in 1875, Baratti e Milano was the once a chocolate purveyor to the royal Savoy family. Located in the Galleria Subalpina near Turin’s Teatro Regio opera house, this elegant tearoom serves up light lunches and a largesse of dolci. Try the thick hot chocolate or bicerin, a signature beverage of Turin made of espresso blended with chocolate and topped with milk foam. We enjoyed ours with a slice of prune cake. Address: Piazza Castello, 29.

The Connected Table was part of a U.S. press delegation invited to attend the two-day Grandi Langhe program. The restaurants and wine bars listed above were not part of this program and chosen and paid for on our own. If you have been to Turin, we’d love to hear your dining recommendations as well as vermouth bars. Grazie!