The Langhe of Piemonte

Le Langhe… the name derives from the Piemontese dialect word, Langa, or tongue, referring to the ‘tongues’ of hillside which create its unique and striking beauty.

This is a plural word – one Langa, two Langhe – and indeed we can see in the map alongside an Alta (high) and Bassa (low) Langa. The Alta part overlaps considerably with the Astigiano and Monferrato and is famous, in particular, for the high quality Alta Langa DOCG sparkling wine.  These are made in the classic (bottle fermented) method and use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – so, very much in the Champagne style.

The map shows how the two correspond to each other, but there is no formal demarcation between them (though the Alta Langa appellation described above does have defined boundaries – confusing, huh?). Several appellations overlap between the two.

This map shows four of the primary growing areas of the Bassa Langa (in total there are fourteen which appear here, either whole or in part).

Many MTW customers spend time exploring the countryside, hospitality and wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Dogliani and Roero.  This area is at the heart of the Langhe-Roero-Monferrato UNESCO world heritage site and its wines are prized throughout the world. What the map doesn’t show you is quite how pretty they are.

The region is a gastronomic treasure trove, and the jewel in its crown is the white truffle, tuber magnatum. The best locations for truffle hunting are Roero and Dogliani.  The wonderful documentary, The Truffle Hunters, was filmed in the Roero, especially around the town of Cisterna d’Asti.  MTW customers can visit these areas through the Borderlands trio of self-guided walks, or in a small group accompanied trip of three to five days. 

Truffle season is October to December, and in these months we meet truffle hunters, indulge in truffles with our food, attend a private sensory analysis seminar and historical talk and visit the Alba Truffle Fair. Enquire now for your autumn trip.

Within each of these areas there is a catalogue of MGAs – Menzione Geografiche Aggiuntive: zonations which offer particular characteristics in wine styles and reflect the land’s ownership.  These are the equivalent of the French Cru or Climat.

In Barolo there are 140 of these, which means that the map of Barolo MGA’s is extremely complex. The document produced by the consorzio (pictured alongside) is a very helpful guide. You can view and download it here.