Celebrating Autumn between Piedmont Italy and Los Angeles California
Nebbiolo vineyard in Barolo
From Piedmont Italy, with a landscape of vineyards, and hamlets with churches and castles, to Los Angeles California, with its warm weather, beaches, mansions and palm trees, can there possibly be anything common between these two completely different places?
But as the weather turns cooler across the northern hemisphere and natural elements all around us go through a metamorphosis, from wine grapes that are ready to harvest, to plants and trees losing their leaves and preparing for colder months of winter ahead, from Italy to the US, we recognize and celebrate this transformational season with activities and customs that involve food and wine that remind us of autumn.
Fall in Italy
Though every season is special in its own right, there is something magical about autumn in Italy. Well it is ONLY the season of the great harvests, to say the least. For centuries autumn in Italy has been a time to harvest food and celebrate those harvests. Fall brings an abundance of produce from the rich soils that have always blessed the Peninsula, especially olives and grapes. The crowds start fading as the temperatures slightly begin to drop, the changing colors paint the idyllic countryside and best of all, the air is filled with the smell of fermenting wine as producers and friends alike gather for the much anticipated annual wine and produce harvest. Add to this, traditional festivals in little towns from Sicily to Valle D’Aosta where one can enjoy the seasonal produce with the locals. There is one region in particular that stands out for its territorial importance as the noble red wine region: Piedmont.
Harvest time in Piedmont
Briamara starts Nebbiolo wine making by crushing with feet
Piedmont is home to some of the best wine growing areas in Italy, like the Langhe, and has many lesser known areas where great wine is also made, like Alto Piemonte, aka, Northern Piedmont. Piedmont also has many interesting and important native grape varietals, like nebbiolo.
In 1787 Thomas Jefferson tasted a nebbiolo at the Hotel d’Angleterre in Torino, the capital of Piedmont, and wrote, "about as sweet as the silky Madeira, as astringent on the palate as Bordeaux, and as brisk as Champagne. It is a pleasing wine.” The name of this grape is said to come from the foggy autumn mist, or nebbia, that elegantly surrounds the nebbiolo grapes during harvest. With six key Nebbiolo wine producing regions, you can compare the nebbiolo grape from each one and take note of how terroir-driven it is.
For example, in the gentle Langhe hills, where VeroVino grower-maker Aldo Clerico is, and where the great Nebbiolo-based Barolo appellation is made, the Nebbiolo from here produce intense and elegant wines with a noticeable tannic structure. Then, moving north, to where Briamara is, next to the Parco del Gran Paradiso, Grand Paradise Park, when tasting their Nebbiolo, the acidity and fresh fruit takes you right to the foot of the alps which you can see from their vineyard.
Briamara’s terraced Nebbiolo vineyard at the foot of the Alps
Some of the great Piemontese foods harvested in this season include the prestigious white truffles from Alba, and to-die-for toasted hazelnuts from Asti. Also, like in other parts of Italy almonds, chestnuts, produce like arugula, broccoli, potatoes, zucchini, and of course, pumpkin is harvested. Fall is a foodies’ month to try all sorts of traditional seasonal delights.
Speaking of Foodies….
Shop Vero wines from Piedmont
Dogliani is known as the area which produces the best dolcettos in the world. This expressive structured yet easy-to-drink red wine has purple color, and floral bouquet with red plum notes. On the palate, this dolcetto opens pleasantly with notable tannins that are, however, not overpowering. It finishes with light almond notes. Coming from a single vineyard near Monchiero, this Dogliani is also make with native yeast fermentation.
It can be enjoyed just after bottling, yet it can better itself after a bit of aging in bottle.
Tastes Like: Juicy plump, plums
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Single Vineyard
Fun Facts: Originally called Dolcetto di Dogliani, local winemakers lobbied to change the denomination to simply ‘Dogliani’ to avoid the misconception that this wine was ‘little sweet’, as suggested by the translation of ‘dolcetto’ in Italian. They wanted this special dry red wine to be able to make its own name, and let its importance stand for itself.
A wine similar to this Canavese Barbera is the Aldo Clerico | Barbera d'Alba Red Wine | Single Vineyard.
Small production wines like this don’t stay long in stock! This product is sold out. Head back to the VeroShop to see what other small production wines we have available.
This single vineyard barbera from the Canavese area of Northern Piedmont was given to Briamara producer’s grandfather in 1880 by don Luigi Bianco, a ‘zio prete’, uncle priest, hence the name of the wine in local dialect ‘barba preve.’
This red wine has fresh and fruity sour cherry aromas and taste with a bit of cinnamon. Thanks to refining in the Slavonia oak tonneau, the wine becomes well-structured and complex. But the REAL thanks go to don Luigi!
Small yield of 2,500 x year makes this a precious limited production.
It is a wine with great structure and personality, an excellent expression of the nebbiolo vine. With a delicate floral bouquet of rose and violets, there is also a finish of licorice. Tasting it really brings out its elegance with pleasant yet decisive tannins that signal great potential for good aging.
As well, the native yeast fermentation used to make this nebbiolo natural wine lets you taste the natural terroir of the Langhe.
Tastes Like: Crunchy pink cherries
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation
Fun Facts: This Langhe Nebbiolo is known as a ‘Baby Barolo’, since it comes from Barolo vines, and is a great introduction to the Langhe wines, where some of the best reds in the world come from.
A wine similar to this Canavese Nebbiolo is the Aldo Clerico | Langhe Nebbiolo.
Small production wines like this don’t stay long in stock! This product is sold out. Head back to the VeroShop to see what other small production wines we have available.
This northern Piedmont wine is from a vineyard just south of the Carema DOC, which you get once you see the more transparent ruby color, despite being macerated for several months, from harvest through the first snows, hence the name of the wine 'prima neve.' It has a black raspberry and menthol taste with a savory note. It is fresh with soft tannins and has a long, minerally finish.
This is one of the best Barolo wines from the Langhe in Piedmont Italy as well as a great value from one of the storied families of Barolo wineries. This Barolo red wine is the maximum expression of the nebbiolo grape from Aldo Clerico. With vineyards right next to those of Domenico Clerico Barolo vineyards, this Barolo is a good substitute for Burgundy wine.
This garnet colored artisan Barolo has red fruit, rose and spicy leather and tea leaf aromas with elegant structure, long finish leaving a silky mouthfeel. On the nose it is very intense while floral notes mix with typical vineyard scents of violets and red berries. On the palate, the violets blend with licorice flavors and noticeable tannins. A creamy texture from the oak barrels creates a pleasant mix of fresh yet complex flavors.
Tastes Like: Cherries and licorice
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Single Vineyard
Fun Facts: This is Aldo's first wine made from 5 different Barolo designated vineyards surrounding his home in Monforte d'Alba, all within the Bricco San Pietro MGA. He vinifies each vineyard and then does an assemblage, creating each vintage a unique expression of his nebbiolo vineyards. It is also made with native yeast fermentation, so can be called a natural wine.
A wine similar to this Caluso Erbaluce is the Antonella Piatti | Falavospa Erbaluce | Organic White Wine.
Small production wines like this don’t stay long in stock! This product is sold out. Head back to the VeroShop to see what other small production wines we have available.
A DOC wine from Northern Piemonte, this Erbaluce di Caluso is a perfect example of the flowery bouquet on the nose and a dry and fresh taste on the palate that are inherent in the erbaluce grape.
This special wine is produced from the best Erbaluce grapes and was created in honour of the Savoia ancestor - Umberto I - nicknamed "Il Biancamano". Pleasant at a young age, it evolves in surprising mineral notes and ages quite well.