langhe
The Langhe, "land of wines, perfumes ... and novels" is masterfully described by the pen of the writer Beppe Fenoglio. It is a historical region of Piedmont comprising a vast territory of extraordinary beauty delimited by the rivers Tanaro, Belbo, Bormida di Millesimo and Bormida di Spigno, consisting of a succession of vineyards, hills, woods and a stone's throw from small ancient villages, which extends in many municipalities in the province of Cuneo and Asti. The Wine Landscapes offered by the hills of Langhe-Roero became together with those of Monferrato Unesco Heritage in 2014. It is impossible to visit the Langhe without stopping to admire and mere medieval architecture that dot the area like the historic center of Alba or the Grinzane Cavour Castle, one of the most fascinating in the whole of Italy.
The name derives from the local language, indicating the plural of a low and long hill .
The Langhe territory can be broken down into:
Lower Langa , so called not for altitude reasons, despite never exceeding 500 meters. It is the typical area of Albese raw meat and typical Piedmontese dishes based on butter and sage, wines and white truffles, for which every year a specially dedicated fair is organized
Alta Langa , an area bordering Liguria. known for the woods and the hazelnut cake produced with the precious variety "tonda gentile delle Langhe"
Within its borders are some of the most famous DOCG wines in Italy, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Asti and Dogliani. Wines that do not comply with such stringent production criteria are accepted in the Langhe DOC where greater experimentation of varieties and winemaking techniques is granted. An emblematic case is that of the Langhe Chardonnay and other high quality wines, many of which can be compared to the prestigious Tuscan Super Tuscan.
The specification includes different types: white, red, rosé, white and passito red. It is also possible to indicate the grape variety on the label for the varieties: arneis, chardonnay, favorita, riesling, nascetta, rossese bianco, sauvignon, nebbiolo, dolcetto, freisa, cabernet sauvignon, pinot nero, merlot, provided that the minimum percentage of the grape variety used for the production of this wine is at least 85%.