If you're looking to make a splash on an Italian terrace and fancy a sparkling wine, ask if they serve "Alta Langha Spumante." This wine has become a household name, especially in the northern regions of Italy.

 

I first encountered Alta Langha Spumante when I met the "Durio" wine family. Their production conditions include planting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes at an altitude of over 250 meters above sea level. Ideal for our hillside, which reaches an altitude of 485 meters. Perhaps a worthwhile project for the future. Until then, you're welcome to open and sample a bottle of Alta Langha Spumante at our wine bar.

 

History

In the early 19th century, the Counts of Sambuy introduced the Pinot grape to Piedmont. Later, Pinot Noir was imported directly from Burgundy, but initially the grape didn't attract much interest from local winemakers.

 

This changed at the end of the 19th century when the pioneers Giovanni Boschiero and Carlo Gancia promoted its distribution in the Asti and Canelli areas for the production of their prized sparkling wines using the Classical Method.

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In the early 1990s, a group of seven major Piedmontese sparkling wine companies launched an experimental project. This experiment aimed to produce a sparkling wine using the Classical Method, which led to the creation of the Alta Langa Consortium in 2001. Since 2001, the Alta Langha DOC has been recognized as the first Piedmontese denomination to focus exclusively on the Classical Method. In 2011, the method achieved DOCG status.

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Today, unique underground structures for storing bottles during the refining process can be found in some towns and villages. These so-called underground cathedrals were recognized in 2014 as part of the 50th Italian heritage site: the "UNESCO Wine Landscapes of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato."

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Most Alta Langha Spumante sparkling wines are based on the Pinot Noir grape, sometimes with a percentage of Chardonnay. A few use a higher percentage of Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. A minimum of 4,000 vines per hectare are planted. Harvesting is manual. Bottles must age for at least 30 months, and for the "riserva" designation, even 36 years.

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Producers and Wines

Numerous products are now available spread across 149 municipalities in the Alta Langha. You can sample these wines, for example, in the town of "Loazzolo." Feel free to ask for more information at your accommodation. You can also find a delicious Spumante Metodo Classico at our local favorite, Patrone Vini.