Coste della Sesia DOC

Located in “Piedmont Nord” (Northern Piedmont), this appellation covers territories situated on the hills flanking the Sesia River. It serves as a broader denomination for the area that also hosts smaller, more specific appellations like Gattinara and Bramaterra. The zone shares the specific sub-continental, temperate climate of the region, characterized by cold winters and higher rainfall on the mountain slopes compared to the lower plains.

The Terroir The geology of the Coste della Sesia is defined by a rocky substratum covered by fluvio-glacial deposits. The complex soil composition includes ultra-basic green rocks, Permian porphyries (volcanic rock), and Mesozoic sedimentary formations. This mineral-rich terrain is part of the moraine bed system that is fundamental to the viticulture of Northern Piedmont.

Grape Varieties & Styles The Coste della Sesia DOC regulations allow for the production of White, Red, and Rosé wines using a mix of noble and indigenous varieties:

• Red & Rosé: These wines rely on a foundation of Nebbiolo (often known locally as Spanna) and/or Barbera, which must constitute a minimum of 50% of the blend.
• Blending Partners: The remaining percentage often includes local varieties such as Croatina, Vespolina, and Bonarda.
• Uva Rara: While typically a blending grape in other appellations (used to soften Nebbiolo), varietal wines made from Uva Rara are frequently labeled under the Coste della Sesia DOC.
• Bonarda Piemontese: Small percentages of this rare distinct variety (different from the Croatina grape often called Bonarda in Lombardy) are also used in this appellation.

• White: The white wines must be produced from 100% Erbaluce. While the nearby Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG is the most famous expression of this grape, Coste della Sesia Erbaluce can be “just as good,” though regulations prohibit it from carrying the “di Caluso” name on the label.

The Critical Take Coste della Sesia is an essential appellation for exploring the “Piedmont Nord” style, offering a slightly more flexible blending formula (50% Nebbiolo/Barbera) compared to its stricter neighbors like Bramaterra or Lessona. It is particularly notable for high-quality Erbaluce grown outside the Caluso zone and for providing a label for varietal bottlings of Uva Rara, which adds spice and fruit to the region’s structured reds.

Reading the River The Sesia is the dividing line of Alto Piemonte, and this DOC sits on its western bank in the province of Vercelli, facing Colline Novaresi across the water. The distinction is not merely administrative: the western side carries the acidic, iron-rich soils derived from the Valsesia porphyries that give Bramaterra, Lessona and Gattinara their particular austerity, and this denomination is the wider net beneath all three. A grower whose parcel falls outside those tight boundaries, or whose blend will not meet them, bottles here.

Benchmark Producers Proprietà Sperino, Tenute Sella, Antoniolo, Colombera & Garella, and the growers working the recovered terraces around Lessona and Masserano.