Piemonte:
The second largest region in Italy, Piemonte led the way to Italy’s unification, led the way for the Slow Food movement, and leads Italy in the number of DOCG wines.
Our recent collaboration with Joe’s Butcher Shop in Carmel was a tribute to this important cultural region of Italy!
Submitted by Susan Santore Lew
After outrage erupted over the first McDonalds opening in Rome, the Slow Food movement was born in the city of Bra. This movement advocates local food, regional culinary traditions, and a slower pace of life, in contrast to the fast-food industry. The result is an amazing destination for foodies.
The region’s history dates to ancient times when it was
inhabited by various Celtic and Ligurian tribes, and later
controlled by the Romans. The Savoy family gradually
gained influence, eventually becoming the rulers of
Piedmont and Sardinia, leading to the unification of Italy.
During this period, (1860s), prominent figures in Italy like Benso, Cavour, and Garibaldi owned vineyards in the region and made significant contributions to the development of Piemonte’s wines.
After unification, the region became a key center of Italian industrialization, particularly in Torino (Turin), the capital, and was a significant economic player in Italy. Piemonte is home to big brands like Fiat, Nutella, and Lavazza.
The region is in northwest Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, forming a border with France and Switzerland, and translates to “foot of the mountains”.
Piemonte is a wine lover’s paradise. It has 19 DOCG areas (the highest quality wine growing areas), the most of any region in all of Italy, and 41 DOC areas.
The region is famous for its Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto grapes for red wines like Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera d’Asti.
The Arneis variety and Moscato grapes are used for white wines and fizzier, sweeter wines.
What adds to the region’s reputation as a wine-producing powerhouse is the number of indigenous grape varieties. Lesser-known grapes like Grignolino, Ruche, Freisa, Vespolina, and Malvasia produce interesting flavor profiles all their own and are growing in popularity.
