"Alto Piemonte: outstanding wines from the 'Other' Piedmont.

Vineyard on Le Piane property, Boca, Piedmont, Alto Piemonte

Photo ©Tom Hyland

If you ask an Italian wine lover about the wines of the Piedmont region, they will almost certainly tell you about two great wines from the Langhe - Barolo and Barbaresco.

These two iconic wines are made exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape and are some of the most complex and long-lasting wines produced anywhere in the world. The other two red wines of the area, Barbera and Dolcetto, are well known, as are several white wines such as Roero Arnais and Timorasso, which have become important wines from Piedmont. But head even further north, to Alto Piemonte, and you'll encounter a part of Piedmont wine country that isn't so''Famous as the Langhe area, but is home to some of the best and most exciting wines in the region.

Alto Piemonte - or 'upper Piemonte' - is a broad east-west production area located in northern Piemonte, south of Turin.

It used to be home to tens of thousands of hectares of vineyards, but that number changed significantly six to seven decades ago for several reasons, including production costs and the attractiveness of other areas in the Piedmont region and other regions of Italy in terms of consumer acceptance of their wines. Today, Alto Piemonte is making a comeback as new vineyards are planted here and abandoned plantings are taking on new life. A small amount of white wine is produced here, but''Among the production is dominated by red wine, which ranges from the less familiar Vespolin to the legendary Nebbiolo.

There are a few notes on some of the most exciting wine estates in Alto Piemonte today:

Francesco Brigatti

There is one of the best winemaking estates in Alto Piemonte in the small village of Suno in the province of Novara; in my opinion, if Brigatti were a producer in Barolo or Barbaresco, he would be famous, but because of his location he has yet to be discovered by many outside of the local wine critics and restaurant buyers who love his wines. Brigatti produces one white wine called Motibello, made entirely from the Erbaluce variety. It symbolizes''Delicate aromas of melon, lime and elderberry; this is a great version of this wine; enjoy it over the next three to four years paired with light poultry or pork dishes. His Vespolina, a spicy local red varietal, offers attractive notes of raspberry and coriander with a long aftertaste; its perfect with pork or veal now or for the next four to six years. His best wines, however, are his offerings from Nebbiolo. While Barolo and Barbaresco are rightly praised, it is the examples of this variety from Alto Piemonte that have attracted a lot of attention lately, as the area here is cooler than in the Langhe, resulting in wines with very good acidity and freshness. His Colline Novarese ('hills of Novara')''The Möttfrei labeled 2019 Nebbiolo is an outstanding example of what Nebbiolo Alto Piemonte is all about, with interesting aromas of fragrant pepper, coriander, morel cherries and orange zest.

Ioppa

Located in the small village of Romagnano Sesia, Novara province, Ioppa offers a good selection of wines, from an Erbaluce/Timorasso blend called San Grato to''A very tasty pink wine from Nebbiolo with a rich medium flavor and dryness, as well as notable versions of the red wine Gemme, a local, long-lived specialty made from Nebbiolo. The Santa Fé 2015 offering is characterized by very good typicity and complexity with elegant tannins; enjoy it over the next four to six years (90 points). The Balsina 2016 is richer on the palate and has a more powerful and lingering aftertaste with bright spices. It will be drinkable for six to eight years; pair with most red meats or sparkling birds. (92)

I Dof Mati

Located in Fara Novarese, I Dof Mati is run by two sisters, Sara and Valentina. They produce a wide range of Alto Piemonte wines and skillfully use a variety of chess' figurines'Burgundy. It will mature beautifully for at least another 12-15 years; this is easily one of the best red Italian wines of the year. (96)

If you're near the town of Novara, take the time to visit a rice farm.

Everyone loves risotto, so why not find out how it's prepared in this area where rice fields stretch endlessly. I visited a small farm called Riso Risotto in Mezzomerico and got a wonderful tour that ends at a retail store where you can purchase several types of rice, some of which can't be found elsewhere.