Piemonte wine explained. Nebbiolo, Barbera and the hills of Alba.

Hills, fog and a continental climate

Piemonte sits in the foothills of the Alps, which shelter it from northern winds and heavy rain. The climate is continental, with a long growing season, cold foggy mornings and sunny days; hail is the main hazard. Vineyards range from about 150 to 700 meters, and the many slopes and exposures suit different grapes. Wine has been made here since at least the 5th century BC.

Host Sarah Heller MW fell in love with wine while working in a Turin restaurant at 20, and she brings that passion to the episode, joined by Paz Levinson, Best Sommelier of the Americas.

Nebbiolo: Barolo and Barbaresco

Nebbiolo, probably named after nebbia (fog), gives pale wines that are high in tannin, acidity and alcohol, with red fruit, roses, tar and autumn leaves. Its two great DOCG wines sit either side of Alba. Barolo, southwest of the town, is made in 11 communes, with Monforte d'Alba, La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba and Barolo itself producing most of it. It must age 38 months, 18 in wood; Riserva needs five years. Barbaresco, northeast of Alba, covers Neive, Treiso and Barbaresco, on slightly lower hills with sandier soils; it needs 26 months, nine in barrel, and 50 months for Riserva.

From the 1980s, modernists shortened macerations and used French barriques, a movement in which Angelo Gaja was a pioneer, while traditionalists kept long macerations and large old casks. The hosts compare soil samples and then two icons side by side: a 2015 Barbaresco from Gaja and a 2005 Barolo Cascina Francia from Giacomo Conterno, with tajarin pasta, chicken livers and shaved truffle.

Barbera and Dolcetto

Barbera has deep color, cherry fruit, high acidity and much softer tannins than Nebbiolo. Giacomo Bologna of the Braida estate proved it could make serious wine, using low yields and French oak. Barbera d'Asti DOCG must contain at least 90% Barbera; Barbera d'Alba requires 85% and may include Nebbiolo. In Asti, Barbera gets the sunniest hills, while in Alba it competes with Nebbiolo for the best sites.

Dolcetto, 'the little sweet one', is never actually sweet. It ripens early, has soft purple fruit and grippy tannins, and is usually made to drink young. Growers plant it in the cooler, less favored spots, keeping the best sites for Barbera and Nebbiolo.

Barbera became more widespread after phylloxera, when some growers replanted with it. It is now the most planted red grape of Piemonte. Its origins are unknown, and it does not seem to be closely related to the other red grapes of northern Italy. Styles range from simple, fruity wines for everyday drinking to bold, oak-aged versions, and wines from Alba are typically a little heavier than those from Asti.

The whites: Gavi, Arneis and Moscato

Piemonte's whites deserve attention too. Cortese makes the crisp, lime-scented wines of Gavi. Arneis almost disappeared in the 1960s until Alfredo Currado of the Vietti family championed it; the best come from Roero, across the Tanaro from Barolo, with pear, melon, almond and a creamy texture. Moscato d'Asti offers gentle sweet bubbles, and Timorasso is one to watch. Cortese can struggle to ripen outside the warmer Gavi area, which is why some producers put it through malolactic fermentation to soften its acidity, though the classic style stays crisp and dry.

The experiment: sulfites, explained

Do sulfites in wine cause headaches? The hosts compare the sulfite levels in wine with those in dried fruit and packaged cheese, explain why winemakers use them, and run a simple test on a cut apple. See what happens, and what the powder tastes like.

Two blind tastings follow, one red and one white, and crostini with goat cheese and smoked salmon as an aperitivo. The episode helps you prepare for WSET Level 3, with grapes, DOCG rules and wine styles explained.