Terroir
From Turin to Alba, a mosaic of lands that tells the story of Piedmontese wine
Piedmont is not one single land but an archipelago of hills, each with its own voice. From the marls of the Langhe to the sands of the Roero, from the clays of Monferrato to the moraines of the Canavese, every wine on this list carries the character of the soil it was born in. Enjoy the journey, glass in hand.
Langhe
The Langhe, the cradle of Nebbiolo, between Barolo and Barbaresco
A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Langhe are the beating heart of Piedmontese wine: hills of marl and sandstone shaped by an ancient sea, among medieval towers and autumn fog. Here Nebbiolo is at its best, becoming Barolo and Barbaresco, but this is also the land of Dolcetto, Barbera and surprising whites such as Arneis and the almost-forgotten Nascetta.
- Grapes
- Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera, Arneis, Nascetta
- At Dume
- Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo, Dolcetto d’Alba, Arneis
Did you know… Already in the 19th century Barolo was called «the wine of kings, the king of wines», having been the favourite of the House of Savoy and the Turin court.
Alta Langa
The high hills, home of Piedmontese sparkling wine
South of the Barolo Langhe, where the hills grow steeper and rise above 500 metres, Alta Langa is a rugged, cool territory that has become the home of Piedmont’s great traditional-method sparkling wines. Wide day-night temperature swings give Pinot Nero and Chardonnay the acidity and finesse for long-aged sparklers.
- Grapes
- Pinot Nero, Chardonnay
- At Dume
- Alta Langa DOCG (Garesio, Cocchi, Ettore Germano)
Did you know… Alta Langa DOCG is only made as a vintage wine and must rest at least 30 months on the lees. That is why every bottle bears the harvest year on the label.
Monferrato
Land of Grignolino, Ruchè and Barbera
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Monferrato stretches between Asti and Alessandria with hills gentler than the Langhe, made of vineyards, woods and ancient infernot cellars dug into the tufa. It is the realm of strongly identifiable native grapes: the capricious Grignolino, the rare and intensely aromatic Ruchè, and above all Barbera, which finds its finest expression here.
- Grapes
- Grignolino, Ruchè, Barbera, Baratuciat
- At Dume
- Ruchè, Grignolino, Barbera d’Asti, Baratuciat
Did you know… Vermouth, the aperitif that symbolises Turin, was born in the 18th century on the very hills of Monferrato, from white wine flavoured with wormwood and other herbs.
Roero
The other bank of the Tanaro, land of Arneis and Nebbiolo
On the left bank of the Tanaro, facing the Langhe, the Roero offers a rugged, spectacular landscape marked by the rocche, steep sandy cliffs eroded by time. Soils rich in marine fossils make it the chosen home of Arneis, while Nebbiolo takes on gentler, fruitier tones of great elegance here.
- Grapes
- Arneis, Nebbiolo, Pelaverga
- At Dume
- Roero Arneis Riserva, Roero Rosso
Did you know… The infernot of Monferrato are small cellars dug by hand into sandstone, with no light or ventilation: a UNESCO heritage, they kept a family’s most precious bottles.
Canavese e Colline Novaresi
The northern lands of winemaking Piedmont
At the foot of the Alps, between Turin and Lake Maggiore, lie less famous but deeply authentic territories. The Canavese, with its glacial moraine soils, is the home of Erbaluce; further north-east, the Gattinara and Ghemme area guards an ancient Nebbiolo tradition, here called Spanna, which on volcanic soils yields austere, mineral, long-lived reds.
- Grapes
- Erbaluce, Nebbiolo / Spanna, Vespolina
- At Dume
- Erbaluce di Caluso, Ghemme, Gattinara
Did you know… At Gattinara, Nebbiolo changes its name to «Spanna». Grown on soils of volcanic origin, it gives wines that are more severe and longer-lived than those of the Langhe.