Piedmont
FEBRUARY 2025
Azienda Agricola Giuseppe Nada in the fog
Every couple years, we feature the classic wines of Piedmont. Located in northwest Italy in the foothills of the Alps, Piedmont is bordered by the French Alps to the west, Valle d'Aosta (a small, mountainous Italian province) to the northwest, Switzerland to the north, then the Italian province of Lombardy (home to Milan) to the east, and Liguria and the Mediterranean to the south.
The terrain is rolling hills with the Alps visible to the north. The climate is cold in winter (lots of snow) with moderate summers, modest amounts of rain (due to the rain shadow from the Alps), but lots of fog which acts to protect the grapes from extreme weather and supports ripening.
Laghibellina vineyards in Gavi
Piedmont is famous for its Barolo and Barbareso reds made from the Nebbiolo grape (Nebbia = Italian for fog), but they cultivate many more red varietals including Barbera (their table red) and Dolcetto, delicious white grapes Arneis (usually from Roero) and Cortese (always from the region of Gavi), as well as many lesser-known grapes that seldom make it to the Seattle market.
Julie asked me to build a Piedmont club around the Gavi (really an incredible wine!), and from there we added the reds that the region is famous for: a Nebbiolo from Langhe and a Barbera from the commune of Alba. Absolutely amazing wines. Hope you enjoy!
Piedmont Cuisine
If you are ever not sure of what to pair with a wine, look to the traditional foods of the region. Piedmont is famous for a little bit richer dishes including gamey meats such as wild boar, truffles, hazelnuts and substitute gnocchi (small potato & flour dumplings) & risotto for pasta as the traditional rib-sticking fare of the region.
Photo: White truffles at the Alba Truffle Festival courtesy of Gina, Premier Vineyard Tours>
2-BOTTLE CLUB
Azienda Agricola La Ghibellina
Gavi, Piedmont, Italy
Founded in 2000, Marina Galli & Alberto Ghibellini own and operate the 20-hectare estate with vineyards covering 9 hectares at 300 meters above sea level with calcereous soils at the top of the hills and clayey sedimentary soils at the bottom. The area enjoys dry, windy summers and cold winters. The property is located in Monterotondo in the sub-region of Gavi in eastern Piedmont (marked with a star on the map) where the amazing white Cortese di Gavi DOCG is cultivated.
La Ghibellina 2023 Gavi
Piedmont, Italy • Reg $26.99 | Mixed Case $21.59
100% Cortese. Organic. Aged 4 months in stainless steel vats on the lees, then 2 months in bottle before release. Unripe stone fruits, green apples & wet stones on the nose. Flavors add in crunchy nectarines & apricots, orange zest minerality and herbal notes. A little fuller in body. Lovely minerally finish. Amazing wine. Winery says to drink as an aperitif or enjoy with fish & poultry dishes. Drink now to 2 years.
Azienda Agricola Giuseppe Nada
Treiso, Piedmont, Italy
Antonio Nada founded the winery in 1900. Farming and viticulture at this time was tough with wars, poverty and backbreaking work. By the 1950's, the situation started improving, and the future of Piedmont, especially the areas of Langhe and Barbaresco started to really develop. It was then that Antonio (3rd generation) began to focus on Nebbiolo.
In 1968, the Nada family purchased some land in Treiso (one of the four communes in Barbaresco), built a house and a wine cellar. By the 1990's, the demand for classically produced Barbaresco had flourished as had their business. Noteworthy is that Nada was one of the first producers in Barbaresco to convert to organic farming beginning in 2014 with certification in 2017. Today Giuseppe's son, Enrico, runs the estate.
Nada 2022 Langhe Nebbiolo
Piedmont, Italy • Reg $26.99 | Mixed Case $21.59
100% Nebbiolo. Organic. Aged 8-9 months in 500 liter used Allier tonneaux. Rose garden (early blooms & stems), red fruits & crushed stone on the nose. Medium- to lighter in body. Acidity is there. Red cherries, black raspberries, tagberries on the palate with a return to the floral notes. Long finish. Really good with food: risotto, baked chicken, salmon, pork chops, braised wild boar (pictured). Drink now to 5 years.
3-BOTTLE CLUB
Pelissero
Treiso, Piedmont, Italy
The estate, founded in 1957, is now in the 3rd generation of family management under Giorgio Pelissero (pictured). They cultivate native varieties only – Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto – from 42 hectares (104 acres) of vines that the family owns and manages.
Pelissero 2021 Barbera d'Alba Piani
Piedmont, Italy • Reg $28.99 | Mixed Case $23.19
100% Barbera from Piani Hill, located in Ferrere in the village of Treiso. Aged 8-9 months in oak barrels (30-40% in barrique and the remaining in 50 hl barrels). Mushrooms, forest floor, dark plums on the nose. Then black cherries, black plums, blackberries. Caramel, woody, earthy notes on the finish. Bigger wine for Barbera. Great acidity. You can age for years…. but why would you?? Big suggestion: 1-hr open and you’ll be rewarded. Killer wine! Pizza, pasta of all sorts, gnocchi, roasted pork dishes, and more.
Azienda Agricola Giuseppe Nada in spring
A Note from Jens:
Wines from Piedmont rank as some of the finest in the world. It's always a pleasure to create a club that shows them off, and this one is no exception. Absolutely terrific. Enjoy!
Your wine club pick-up tasting is always the 2nd Saturday of the month. Hope you can join us to taste and learn about your wines! As well, you'll be able to taste the Portalis EXPLORES club wines – a red (Vernatsch/Lagrein blend) & a white (Pinot Grigio) from Südtirol•Alto Adige, the northernmost region of Italy on the border to Austria.
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online signup> You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).