Piedmont is renowned for its wines, from red varieties like Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto, to white wines such as Gavi, Alta Langa, Arneis, Moscato, and Timorasso, and many more.

Growing up in Piedmont, it’s almost impossible not to develop a passion for wine. I remember being invited to a local farmer’s house for pizza on a Sunday afternoon. I was 12, maybe 13, and they poured me a small glass of homemade red Barbera. The Italians say, “Il vino fa buon sangue, l’acqua fa ruggine,” which means, “Wine makes good blood, water makes rust.”

More and more young people are choosing to turn their passion for wine into a career, instead of studying and working in a big city. For example, brothers Sebastiano and Edoardo from the winery Traversa 1816, who were in school with us ten years ago, are now the fifth generation to continue their family’s winemaking tradition. Similarly, Davide from the winery Tenuta Bricco San Giorgio has embraced the passion of his grandfather Gino. It’s inspiring to see how these young people choose to stay in the countryside and invest in all the beauty the region has to offer.

This year, in June, when the weather was a bit less favourable for a few days, we started an exciting indoor project at Casa Bonta: the wine cantina next to the bar.
I personally think Kilian and I visit wine cantinas for tastings quite regularly, but this was, of course, a perfect excuse to visit even more wineries.

We naturally visited the wineries we already know well and are favourites: Wineries Poggio Vini in Castel Boglione, Olim Bauda in Nizza Monferrato, Forteto della Luja in Loazzolo, and more. But we also explored further.

Every year in May, there’s a well-known wine festival in Nizza Monferrato, a village just a 30-minute drive away, called Nizza è Barbera. Here, more than 70 wine producers showcase their Barbera wines. Barbera is a red grape variety originally from Piedmont, but during this event, you can also taste a white sparkling Barbera, as well as exquisite red Barbera wines aged in steel, or more complex Barbera wines aged in wood, such as the Barbera Superiore or the Nizza.
During the event, we discovered many beautiful wines. No matter how intimate Piedmont may feel, it’s amazing how many producers there are, and especially how many “good” wine producers. We made countless wonderful new contacts and found some great places to recommend to our guests.
Our wine cellar filled up quickly!

We are often asked which wine we personally like the most. Piedmont is, of course, famous for its majestic red wines, but I personally enjoy a dry white wine or even a sparkling wine.
Two of my absolute favorites are Timorasso, a dry white wine, and Alta Langa, a delightful sparkling wine.

Timorasso

Often referred to as the “white Barolo,” this is an ancient grape from the Tortona region in Piedmont. Although this variety has been cultivated in Piedmont for a long time, it has only recently been rediscovered, which means the current supply is still quite limited. The wine is renowned for its complexity and elegance, with a rich texture and a minerality that is typical of the area.

Favorite winery for Timorasso: La Spinetta

Alta Langa

The town of Canelli, just a 30-minute drive from Casa Bonta, plays a significant role in the Italian sparkling wine world. Carlo Gancia began working in the Champagne region in the 1800s, where he secretly gained extensive knowledge about sparkling wine production. After returning to Canelli, his family’s hometown, he founded Italy’s first sparkling wine, also known as “Champagne Italiano.” This caused unrest in the Champagne region, leading to a name change to Metodo Classico, which is comparable to the French term Méthode Champenoise.

Beneath the town of Canelli lies 21 kilometers of underground wine cellars, known as the cathedrals, where a large portion of Italian sparkling wines are produced. Visiting these cellars at one of the wineries is a spectacular experience. Some well-known wineries include Coppo, Contratto, Bosca, and Gancia.

An interesting fact: in 1975, Vittorio Gancia, the owner of Gancia, was kidnapped by the Brigate Rosse, an Italian terrorist group. He was held captive for several days and was eventually found alive in a house just five minutes from Casa Bonta. The local community still frequently talks about this event, which had a significant impact on the region.

Favorite wineries for Alta Langa:

• Contratto: A tour costs approximately €50 per person, but the experience of the underground cathedrals and the wine tasting makes it absolutely worthwhile.
• Borgo Maragliano: This stunning winery in the hills of Loazzolo offers a beautiful tasting room with views over the surrounding area. A must-visit for sparkling wine enthusiasts!

Kilian prefers red wine, and Piedmont is, of course, famous for it. The Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Dolcetto are the three main grapes of this region, and you’ve likely come across them in supermarkets or restaurants.

Barbera

The red wine Barbera is made from the Barbera grape, a red grape variety. It is the most consumed wine among the locals. A bottle of Barbera is common to be on the table during Sunday lunches.

Depending on the vineyard’s location, you have Barbera d’Asti DOCG and Barbera d’Alba DOC. There are three different types of Barbera:

• A standard Barbera, aged in steel.
• A Barbera Superiore, aged in wood.
• A Nizza, a relatively new type of wine made 100% from the Barbera grape and aged on wood even longer than Barbera Superiore. It originates from the Nizza Monferrato area.

Nebbiolo

Who hasn’t heard of Barolo? The price of a good bottle of Barolo can often be quite high. Last year, we bought a bottle of Barolo from 2019 for €35 directly from the winemaker, which we thought was a great deal. However, we were told that the wine should remain untouched for at least another five years, preferably even ten. So, we’ve carefully hidden it away.

Barolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. The wine can only be called Barolo if the vineyards are located in a specific region around the municipality of Barolo (and a few others).

However, other wines are also made from the Nebbiolo grape, such as Barbaresco and Nebbiolo itself. We really enjoy a good Nebbiolo; it’s an excellent alternative to the more well-known varieties.

Wine remains a beautiful hobby and passion. We enjoy tasting exceptional wines and discovering new wineries. Additionally, we love sharing our experiences with the guests who stay at Casa Bonta.

This year, a weekly wine tasting was organized, where a local winemaker hosted a tasting at Casa Bonta, or we visited the winemaker.

We’ll be keeping our wine cantina next year as well, and according to Kilian, there’s even room for expansion 😊

I’m curious to know about your favorite wines from Italy and whether you brought home something delicious yourself this summer.

Best regards,

Yara

Ps. This was my first blog, exciting!