The Great Wine Routes of the World (IV): «Piedmont, the Black Gold Triangle»

The Great Wine Routes of the World (IV): «Piedmont, the Black Gold Triangle»

A Definitive Guide for the Wine Tourist

The birthplace of Slow Food and Italy’s most powerful wine

The international Slow Food movement — a precursor to local gastronomic cultures and traditions, and a champion of good eating — was born in Piedmont. This is no coincidence: this region of northern Italy, nestled between the Alps and the Apennines, produces Barolo and Barbaresco — dubbed the king and queen of Italian wines — is home to the world’s most prized white truffles, and has developed a gastronomic culture unrivalled anywhere else in Italy.

South of Turin, a basin surrounded by vineyards defines the area where the famous Barolo is produced. This small world of mediaeval castles and farmhouses is renowned for its wines and also for the truffle, another delicacy of local gastronomy. The starring grape is Nebbiolo — the most temperamental and late-ripening variety in Italy — which here finds its fullest expression.

Essential Wineries

Marchesi di Barolo, in the eponymous village, is the very cradle of the region’s most celebrated wine. It was at the Falletti castle in the nineteenth century that those wines made from Nebbiolo grapes were first produced — wines that today fetch astronomical prices, such as the Riserva Monfortino di Giacomo Conterno, which commands upwards of a thousand euros per bottle.

Gaja in Barbaresco is a legendary estate on the world stage. Gaja is celebrated for having brought Piedmontese wines to international prominence. Securing a visit here is no easy feat, but it ranks amongst the most memorable oenological experiences in the world.

Piazza Duomo in Alba, holder of three Michelin stars, is where chef Enrico Crippa serves dishes such as a seasonal vegetable mosaic, pigeon in a hazelnut crust, and tajarin with truffle. La Ciau del Tornavento in Treiso is famed for its panoramic cellar housing thousands of bottles.

The Truffle Ritual: the Gastronomic Holy Grail

This part of Piedmont is celebrated not only for its wines, but also for its cheeses — Raschera, Bra tenero and Robiola di Roccaverano — and, above all, for the truffle of Alba, the Holy Grail of gastronomy. The white truffle, that which so inspired literary giants such as Molière and Cesare Pavese.

Autumn (October to December) is the ideal season for white truffles and the peak period for Barolo and Barbaresco. Accompanying a truffle hunter and his dog through the oak forests is an experience that any traveller with a passion for gastronomy ought to have at least once in their lifetime. The Fiera del Tartufo di Alba (Alba Truffle Fair), held every weekend throughout October and November, is the most important gastronomic event in northern Italy.

Monuments and Natural Heritage

Monforte d’Alba grew up around a twelfth-century military tower. Since 1986 it has been home to an open-air amphitheatre of perfect acoustics, making the most of its natural slope, dedicated to the pianist Mieczysław Horszowski.

La Morra offers the most spectacular views across the Langhe hills.

Turin, the regional capital, is home to the Sindone (the Shroud of Turin), the Egyptian Museum (the second most important in the world after that of Cairo), and first-rate Baroque architecture.

The Sanctuary of Oropa, in Biella, stands at 1,200 metres above sea level and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lakes Maggiore and Orta, together with the charming village of Orta San Giulio, are two of the most beautiful natural jewels in Italy.