Langhe DOC: Spaghetti Appellations on a plate
Italian wine is the weak spot of my wine education. I always have to give that extra level of attention and focus when it comes to any of the Italian regions
So as part of my appellation exploration I decided to launch into Italy with the wonderfully complicated appellation of Langhe DOC in Piedmont.
Piedmont is a hub of activity in Italian winemaking. Famous DOCG like Barolo and Barbaresco draw attention, but the region has an astounding 19 DOCG (1st in Italy) and 41 DOC. These appellations aren't necessarily territorially exclusive with many overlapping boundaries and borders creating an area map that looks like a bowl of spaghetti.
Langhe DOC
Langhe DOC is the plate onto which many of the appellations of southern Piedmont are dumped in their spaghetti goodness.
5 DOCG call Langhe home: Barolo, Barbaresco, Dogliani, Roero, & Diano d'Alba.
Additionally the Langhe DOC encompasses 4 DOC: Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba, & Verduno.
Wine from Langhe DOC can be red, rosé, white, or appassimento style sweet in any of these categories (told you Italy was fun). We’ve even got a totally independent subzone within the DOC devoted to the white Nascetta grape, Nascetta del Comune di Novello.
Let’s get some food.
Piedmontese winemaking is deeply tied to the culinary abundance of the region. The Po River provides ample agricultural land for the region.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the budget for the most iconic Piedmontese culinary treat in a white truffle.
Dinner tonight
Braised Short-Ribs over Creamy Gorgonzola polenta.
Ribs
2 lbs of Chuck Short Ribs
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 white onion
1 head garlic
Spices: Thyme, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Bay Leaves.
1 cup red vermouth.
Into the oven at 350° for 4 hours
Polenta
1/2 cup of coarse yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
1 shallot
2 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper
Whip ingredients together in simmering water.
Savoy
The keys to Piedmont's history lie in the region’s relationship to the historic region of Savoy. The original County of Savoy was founded as part of the Holy Roman Empire and had its seat in Turin.
Savoy would eventually become one of the most influential Duchies in the region. A power whose territory included Provence, the Rhône Valley, Piedmont, and the French Savoie. This cultural hegemony shaped the culinary traditions of the region’s around and brought in stylistic expression of wine and spirits.
Savoy played such an important piece in Italian history, that when the nation of Italy was unified it was the Duke of Savoy Victor Emmanuel II who became monarch of the Italian Kingdom.
So that's a quick exploration of Piedmont and Langhe! Salud
