Wine is produced through out the Northwest area, even up to 1400 meters (4500 ft.) in the foothills of the Alps around Val D' Aosta. The wines in this most northwestern area are generally light and fruity in style. A high altitude growing variety of Nebbiolo grape is commonly used and so are some of the French varieties like Gamay and Pinot Noir.

Lombardy is becoming more recognized for some of its dry reds. In the area of Oltrepo Pavese in the Southwest of Lombardy there is an increasing production of good, easy to drink reds, using varieties of Nebbiolo, Bonarda and Pinot Nero. The wines made by Matilda are a great example of this style, in addition, the Mathilde Winery is using Biodynamic (organic) wine making techniques. The other popular trend in Lombardy is the making of high quality, champanoise method (bottle femention) sparkling wines. These sparkling wines are gaining a reputation as being comparable to Champagne. One of the producers that is committed to this standard is the Bellavista winery. They make a variety of white sparkling wines and still wines, using Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. They are presently enhancing their reputation with the production of quality Cabernets, Merlots and Pinot Nero wines.

The Liguria, the southern most region of the Northwest is situated along the Mediteranean coast. Unlike the rest of the Northwest wines their influence is mainly from the Greeks, due to its accessibility by sea. White wine dominates the production with varieties such as Vermintino and Pigato. The wines are light, fruity and crisp and pair very well with seafood dishes. The reds here are mainly made with Sangiovese and like their white counterparts are light and fruity in style.

All of the wine growing districts of the Northwest are overshadowed by the attention givin to the Barolos and Barberescos of Piedmont. Barolo and Barberesco are two small villages in Piedmont, but have the reputation on the level of St. Emilion and Medoc of Bordeaux. The grape used in these wines is the robust Nebbiolo. This red grape produces deep, rich and very dry red wines. Some quality producers of these wines are Cerretto, Prunotto and Gaja. Barolos and Barberescos can be extremely expensive. Good Barolos start at $30, and very good ones can exceed $100. An option to this high cost is Gattinara. Gattinara is a small town near Barolo, they use the same grape (Nebbiolo) and use very similar wine making techniques, they just lack the notoriety. Gattinaras are usually easy to spot on the shelf, due to the irregular crooked bottle. Very good Gatteneras usually sell for between $20 to $30, try the Travalini Gattinara. Unfortunatly, Gattinara is starting to gain a reputation as a great value wine and the prices seem to be headed for an increase. Other great reds made in Piedmont are the Barberas and Dolcettos. These are deep, lush and fruity wines that are meant to be drunk young. Some of the best values come from Traversa. Traversa is also known for their biodynamic wine making (organically grown). The most common whites in the Piedmont region are Gavi and the sweet sparkling spumantes of Asti. Gavi is a dry, crisp and austere wine that is a great, food friendly wine. Asti Spumantes are fun sparkling wines that make good dessert wines and good toasting wines for those that like their bubbles a little sweet, Salute!

CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY

The Northwest's climate and geography is extremely variable. With the Alps bordering the west and north, and the Mediteranean Sea to the south there is quite a dramatic change through out the area. The area around Valle D' Aosta has a short growing season with very cold winters, so the grapes grown must be very hearty. In the Po valley around Piedmont and Lombardy, they have hot summers and a long growing season. These conditions are very favorable for Nebbiolo and Cabernet. The Liguria boasts a sunny and temperate Mediteranean climate, with steep, terraced hill sides, these are perfect conditions for the ripening of the white grapes grown here.

TRENDS

Several trends in the northwest are gathering steam. The use of Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot are on the increase, both in production and popularity. In addition, we will probably see more quality sparkling wines. As shipping becomes easier we will also begin to see more variety of wines. Lastly, the big reds of Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco show no signs of coming down in price. They are outstanding wines, but at $100.00 plus a bottle, it's time to be more adventurous and try other wines from the Northwest.