Region: Piemonte
History: Established as a DOC in 1994
Vineyard Area: 4,137 ha / 10,218 acres (2013, C)
Production: 253,400 hl (total 2013/14, V); avg. 3,000,000 cases bottled annually
Principal White Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Cortese, Erbaluce, Favorita, Moscato, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc
Principal Red Grape Varieties: Albarossa, Barbera, Bonarda, Brachetto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Syrah
Styles and Wine Composition:
WHITE WINES
- Bianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw, WhFrSw): Minimum 60% Chardonnay, Cortese, Erbaluce, and/or Favorita; maximum 40% OANWG
- Chardonnay (Wh, WhFr): Minimum 85% Chardonnay + OANWG
- Cortese (Wh, WhFr): Minimum 85% Cortese + OANWG
- Moscato (WhSw): 100% Moscato
- Sauvignon (Wh): Minimum 85% Sauvignon Blanc + OANWG
- Dual varietals (Wh, WhSw): Chardonnay, Cortese, or Sauvignon Blanc: Maximum 85% of first-named variety; minimum 15% of second variety
ROSATO WINES
- Rosato (Ro, RoFr, RoSw, RoFrSw): Minimum 60% Barbera, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, and/or Nebbiolo + OANRG
RED WINES
- Rosso (Rd, RdFr, RdSw, RdFrSw): Minimum 60% Barbera, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, and/or Nebbiolo + OANRG
- Albarossa (Rd): Minimum 85% Albarossa + OANRG
- Barbera (Rd, RdFr): Minimum 85% Barbera + OANRG
- Bonarda (Rd, RdFr, RdSw, RdFrSw): Minimum 85% Bonarda + OANRG
- Brachetto (RoSw, RdSw): Minimum 85% Brachetto + OANRG
- Cabernet Sauvignon (Rd): Minimum 85% Cabernet Sauvignon + OANRG
- Dolcetto (Rd, RdFr): Minimum 85% Dolcetto + OANRG
- Freisa (Rd): Minimum 85% Freisa + OANRG
- Grignolino (Rd): Minimum 85% Grignolino + OANRG
- Merlot (Rd): Minimum 85% Merlot + OANRG
- Pinot Nero (Rd): Minimum 85% Pinot Nero + OANRG
- Syrah (Rd): Minimum 85% Syrah + OANRG
- Dual varietals (Rd, RdSw): Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Freisa, Merlot, Pinot Nero, or Syrah: Maximum 85% of first-named variety; minimum 15% of second variety
- Novello (Rosso, red varietals except Brachetto)
SPARKLING WINES
- Spumante (WhSp, RoSp, RdSp): Any proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and/or Pinot Nero
- Brachetto Spumante (RdSpSw): Minimum 85% Brachetto + OANRG
- Chardonnay Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Chardonnay + OANWG
- Chardonnay-Pinot Spumante (WhSp): Maximum 85% Chardonnay; minimum 15% Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and/or Pinot Nero
- Cortese Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Cortese + OANWG
- Pinot Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and/or Pinot Nero; maximum 15% Chardonnay
- Pinot Bianco Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Pinot Bianco; maximum 15% Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and/or Pinot Nero
- Pinot-Chardonnay Spumante (WhSp): Maximum 85% Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and/or Pinot Nero; minimum 15% Chardonnay
- Pinot Grigio Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Pinot Grigio; maximum 15% Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and/or Pinot Nero
- Pinot Nero Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Pinot Nero; maximum 15% Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and/or Pinot Grigio
DESSERT AND SPECIALTY WINES
- Bianco Passito (Wh, WhSw): Minimum 60% Chardonnay, Cortese, Erbaluce, and/or Favorita; maximum 40% OANWG
- Rosato Passito (Ro, RoSw): Minimum 60% Barbera, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, and/or Nebbiolo + OANRG
- Rosso Passito (Rd, RdSw): Minimum 60% Barbera, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, and/or Nebbiolo + OANRG
- Moscato Passito (WhSw): 100% Moscato
- Barbera Passito (RdSw): Minimum 85% Barbera + OANRG
- Brachetto Passito (RdSw): Minimum 85% Brachetto + OANRG
Subzones:
- Vigneti di Montagna, for those vineyards with a minimum average vineyard elevation of 500 m (1,640 ft) and a slope of at least 30%
- Different growing regions are specified for different wine styles
Significant Production Rules:
- Minimum vineyard elevation: 100 m (330 ft)
- Grapes for Passito must be dried on or off the vine to achieve a minimum potential alcohol level of 13.0% or a minimum sugar level of 217 g/l; if labeled “vino di uve stramature,” the minimums are increased to 15.0% potential alcohol or 266 g/l sugar; if labeled “vino ottenuto da uve appassite,” the minimums are 16.0% potential alcohol or 272 g/l sugar
- Spumante wines may undergo second fermentation either in bottles or in autoclaves
- Minimum alcohol level (table wines, including frizzante): 5% for Moscato (7.5% maximum, 11.0% potential); 5.0% for Brachetto (11.0% potential); 10.0% for Bianco, Cortese, and white dual varietals; 10.5% for Chardonnay and Rosato; 11.0% for Sauvignon, Rosso, Barbera, Bonarda, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, and red dual varietals; 11.5% for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, and Syrah; 12.5% for Albarossa
- Minimum alcohol level (spumante wines): 0% for Brachetto Spumante (11.0% potential); 10.0% for Cortese Spumante; 10.5% for most spumanti (except Brachetto, Cortese, and Rosso); 11.0% for Rosso Spumante
- Minimum alcohol level (passito wines): 0% for Passito “ottenuto da uve appassite” (16.0% potential); 10.5% for standard Passito (13.0% potential); 12.0% for Passito “di uve stramature” (15.0% potential)
- Residual sugar: Spumante can range from natural to demisec
- Aging: For Freisa, minimum 4 months (ERD = March 1, V+1); for nonvarietal Passito and Barbera Passito, minimum 3 months (ERD = April 1, V+1); for Albarossa, minimum 12 months (ERD = November 1, V+1); for Moscato Passito and Brachetto Passito, minimum 12 months (ERD = January 1, V+2)
