Piemonte is sometimes called Piedmont and means “foot of the mountains” in Italian. It is an apt description of this lush region that sits at the foot of the Alps in northwestern Italy. Its northern mountains frame the charming hilly landscape, quaint old farmhouses, and long rows of poplar trees.
Piemonte’s towns are known for their cafe culture and elegant baroque architecture. The regional capital is Turin, home to the venerated Shroud of Turin, and is an auto manufacturing powerhouse.
Our Wine Revealed travels took us to this lovely area where we had the pleasure of meeting Mauro and Savio Daniele, co-owners of the posh Le Strette Winery in the town of Novello. They come from a long family history of winemaking but are the first in the family to actually own a winery.
Le Strette is situated in a sub-region of Piemonte known as Barolo and given the Italian designation of MGA – menzioni geografiche aggiuntive in 2010. The winery focuses primarily on three local grape varieties: Barbera, Docetta, and Nebbiolo, from which they craft their signature red wines.
Microclimate plays an important role here. Their altitude is 450 m above sea level, which allows them to achieve the right acidity at ripeness. Mauro explains the value of this aspect of their location, “We can produce a wine that is strong, rich, but also fresh.” The acidity and tannins combine to allow for successful long aging.
This area is also known for thick fog and morning mists that roll through the mountain valleys. The Italian word for fog is nebbia, and is believed to be the source of the name of the Nebbiolo grape. It is this very fog that helps to prolong the ripening season of the grape resulting in an acidic and aromatic boost and plenty of tannins that allow for long aging.
Barolo was once considered a special occasion wine, and often aged for up to 20 years. While the association of it as a special occasion wine has changed, it remains a little pricey for everyday drinking for most people; however, this has not dampened its popularity.
It goes nicely with red meat or just to sip with cheese, Silvo says of Barolo: “Combining this aspect of the fruit on one side and the tannin on the other, it can really be considered an all-meal wine.”
Marco Stevanoni of Veneto Ristorante adds that Barolo is a king of wines, “one of the pride and glories of Italy.” It is a small area, he adds, but “…once you went there to Barolo, you know you are in a special place.” It can be as simple and austere as wine can be.
Silvo says, “What we try to do is that everyone bring his own experience, his own idea, his own taste. The mission remains – express the territory in the wine.” They respect their environment and traditions, but with an ongoing view to new opportunities.
Prior to serving, Barolo does well with a short 10-15 minute breathing time. The wine will continue to develop in the glass as it’s enjoyed. It is a good choice for a restaurant because of this.
Silvo says, “What we advise is, if you are at home… you are not in a hurry, so you can enjoy your dinner, why not do all these experiences to open the bottle to follow the wine.” The wine will show you new things every minute: “You follow the wine, and it will give you new things to appreciate.”