Le Langhe
Join me for a closer look at the Langhe of Piemonte, one of Italy’s renown areas for wine.
About 90 min south of Torino, the Langhe is a collection of sub-regions located next to the river Tanaro and surrounding hills. It is unmistakably wine country, with rolling vineyards separated by bucolic villages carved into hillsides and often blanketed in fog known as the “Nebbia”. I first visited in 2016 and return annually to rest and recharge my creative cells. Despite my growing fervor, as an educator, I find the Langhe to be an effective window into the culture of Italian wine.
The Langhe is essentially a series of hills with a river running through. Its geography has been shaped by an event 30 million years ago when the ocean covered what is now known as the Poe River Basin. It receded at different times, carving deep channels which would eventually become these celebrated hills. The first stop on this tour is the Roero, a large area influenced the most by this ancient maritim e shift. Walk the vineyards of Canale and Monta and fossilized marine life is scattered among the soils, imbuing wines with complexity and lift. Roero’s star is the white grape Arneis. Born in the Renesio vineyard of Canale, Arneis produces fragrant whites that toe the line between taunt mineral and plush fruit, never rising above a medium body.
For our next stop, we cross the Tanaro and head east where the hills become steeper and soils less marine-based. It is important at this stage to divide the wines this side of the Tanaro into two general categories, almost like a theatrical production: the leaders and supporting characters, both vital to the others existence. The leaders are Barolo and Barbaresco, often mistakenly referred to as king and queen. These wines are based entirely on the Nebbiolo grape and its magical ability to take on the attributes of place. The best among them can age gracefully the length of a lifetime and still whisper amazing things. Dogliani is where Dolcetto reins, a mountainous area to the south with a growing reputation for Piemonte’s first Champagne-inspired wines known as Alta Lange. These three regions host a rambunctious cast of supporting characters: Barbera, Dolcetto, Pelaverga, Arneis, Naschetta and Grignolino. Several share center stage with compelling soliloquies; however, much pleasure is found in players for the everyday glass.
With a strong cast of leads and supporting characters, the magic of the Langhe is found in local cafes and enoteca’s, not in the stuffy world of high-end wine experiences. Chow down on Vitello Tonnato paired to crisp Arneis and marvel at how it cuts the tuna emulsion while elevating its strong flavor. Tajarin is essentially a Bolognese-dish made with egg pasta that simply melts when done right, making Barbaresco with a touch of age a love story for the palate. Spend a lazy afternoon in downtown Barbaresco, a place where the sun seems to shine forever, and stainless-steel produced Barbera or Dolcetto are more than an ideal pairing, they are a prescription.
I hope you enjoyed this little jaunt. I will delve further into these areas in the months to come, stay tuned. For those looking to try my recommendations from the Langhe, follow the link below or email me.