 Piedmont and Tuscany are the two most famous wine regions
in Italy. I love them both. If I were asked to choose
between the two, my response would be - why choose when
you should visit both?
The developments, innovations and improvements in the
past 15 years since I began my annual visits there make
the two regions among the world's most exciting wine
regions to visit. Tuscany had its super-Tuscans ever
since Antinori's Tignanello and now almost every Tuscan
producer has his/her super-Tuscan. Piedmont has not had
the benefit (or disadvantage) of that kind of glamour
publicity but nonetheless, a major sea-change has been
sweeping over Piedmont beginning some ten years ago,
quietly gathering momentum and involving all growers
and producers to a greater or lesser extent today.
The principal difference between Piedmont's wines and
those of Tuscany was (I use the past tense because it
is less true now) that all Piedmont's wines were strictly
varietal. Thus you had Barolo and Barbaresco, both 100
percent Nebbiolo, Barbera from 100 percent Barbera, and
Dolcetto, another 100 per cent varietal from Dolcetto.
The scene has changed and will continue to evolve. Top
growers are producing delicious wines using blends of
Nebbiolo, not only with Barbera but also with foreign
grape varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah.
What about the DOC (Dominazione di Origine Controllata)
regulations? They are still much respected and adhered
to but more and more wines are being produced under generic
labels.
A famous example was set three years ago by none other
than the maestro of Barbaresco, Angelo Gaja. He dropped
the DOCG (Dominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
designation for his single-cru Barbarescos - Costa Russi,
Sori San Lorenzo and Sori Tildin - and elected to label
them under the simple 'Langhe Nebbiolo Rosso' designation.
Heresy? Not really. By so doing he freed himself from
strict adherence to DOCG regulatory control and was free
to use small quantities of other grapes in these Barbarescos.
Have those wines suffered in consequence? Not at all.
If anything they have become better, perhaps more internationalized,
and certainly more sought after and highly priced!
There is another major difference between Piedmont and
Tuscany - the official delineation of vineyard Crus in
Barolo and Barbaresco particularly. There are recognized
superior wine villages in Tuscany but not vineyard Crus.
And that is why you will see Barolos labeled 'Barolo
Cannubi Boschis', perhaps the most famous and best vineyard
cru in Barolo. A wine labeled just 'Barolo' would be
a blend of Nebbiolo grapes from several vineyards. The
same approach is being adopted for Barbaresco, and is
beginning to spread to Barbera. The adoption of the single
cru approach has been a major contribution to even higher
quality levels.
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