📍 Piedmont

Piedmont is a region in north-western Italy at the foot of the Alps (the name means "foot of the mountain"). It is the home of the red wines Barolo and Barbaresco, made from the Nebbiolo grape in the Langhe hills. Nearby lie Roero, which makes white wine from Arneis, and Monferrato, with reds from Barbera. The hills of Langhe, Roero and Monferrato are on the UNESCO list.

Besides Nebbiolo, growers plant Barbera and Dolcetto, which give softer, fruitier reds. In the south-east lies Gavi, where dry wines are made from the white Cortese grape. The Asti district is known for sparkling Asti and Moscato d'Asti, made from Muscat grapes: light, sweet and low in alcohol.

The north of the region, Upper Piedmont, produces Nebbiolo wines with a finer structure and cool acidity. Many appellations are small: Canavese, Carema, Erbaluce di Caluso, Colli Tortonesi and others. In autumn the hills are often wrapped in fog, and the name Nebbiolo is usually traced to the Italian word for fog (nebbia).

For comparison with its neighbours: Piedmont borders France in the west, the Aosta Valley and Switzerland in the north, Lombardy in the east and Liguria in the south.