Piedmont Within Reach

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | DECEMBER 06, 2022

Piedmont is full of excitement these days, more than I have ever seen in 25 years of visiting the region. The rapid escalation of prices and dwindling availability of the region’s top wines can be discouraging, but it needn’t be, as Piedmont has so much to offer beyond the most highly coveted Barolos and Barbarescos. This report covers a wide range of wines that deliver plenty of Piedmont soul at prices that are accessible.

As the world grapples with an uncertain economic outlook for the near and medium-term, a few trends are starting to emerge. In the United States, retail is softening, while restaurants are booming. The very top end of the market for fine wine shows no signs of slowing down, but below that there are signs of weakness, albeit coming off very high highs. How this all plays out is uncertain, but it does appear that some consumers are being increasingly prudent with regard to spending. Piedmont has plenty to offer readers looking for great values. No critic or publication can taste every Dolcetto, Barbera or Langhe Nebbiolo, in fact, few of these wines are even widely reviewed at all. This article covers the best of the best, wines that deliver superb quality for the money.

This range of entry-level wines from G.B. Burlotto was among the most impressive I tasted for this report.

Look to Vintage 2021

Many of the best wines in this report are from 2021, a vintage that is shaping up to be exceptional in Piedmont. Harvest (for red grapes) usually starts with Dolcetto in early September and wraps up around mid-October for Nebbiolo. Because of that long time frame, which can be six weeks or more, it is unusual for a vintage to be equally strong for all grape varieties. Two thousand twenty-one appears to be that rare year in which conditions were close to ideal for all the main red grapes. The 2021s have gorgeous aromatics, beautiful, vibrant fruit and often exceptional balance. Consumers would do well to stock up on the best bottles.