Have you ever tried an Alpine Nebbiolo? Le Piane is for me the best place to start discovering the beautiful region of Alto Piemonte.
Alto Piemonte is a wine region nested in the most remote part of Piedmont, pretty much at the Swiss border. The most famous villages, just to name a few, are Boca, Lessona, Gattinara, Bramaterra and Ghemme and you also find the local Coste delle Sesia Nebbiolo, a local “Langhe Nebbiolo” style wine.
Le Piane is one of the most exciting wineries in this region and I love the story behind it.
When I met with Christoph Kunzli, a Swiss born wine maker I immediately understood why this wines are so special.
He told me the at the beginning of the 1990s he randomly tried the wines of Le Piane and found himself completely in love. He decided to buy the winery on the spot moving his entire life there, in the Italian Alps.
This was such a bold move since the region wasn’t near as famous as it is now, and I have to say, it is also thanks to Christoph if Alto Piemonte is living a second life.
Christoph had a vision restore Boca’s abandoned vineyards and highlighted the potential of its unique volcanic terroir. Christoph approach to winemaking is really simple, only spontaneous fermentation without temperature control is used and everything is made by hand in super small batches.
“The style of my wine has always been clear,” says Kunzli, “big barrels, long aging.” Vespolina is used not only to further overall complexity but also increase the acidity levels of the wine. While unmistakably a Nebbiolo-based wine, Boca, as crafted by Kunzli, has a more supple, elegant feel to it than a typical Barolo.
These are wines that will make you think about how much wine is interconnected with nature. It is a beautiful thing.
Boca DOC: A Unique Terroir for Nebbiolo
Funny enough, Boca was once considered one of the most import appellation in Italy. But it was abandoned in the 1900s in favor of an upcoming industrialization that promised prosperity to the work class of this area.
Today, it is one of the smallest appellations in Italy, with only about 15 hectares under vine.
What makes this region so exciting and really different from Barolo is the soil composition.
Boca’s volcanic soils, primarily composed of porphyry rock, set it apart from the limestone-based Barolo and Barbaresco. These mineral-rich soils, combined with Boca’s high-altitude vineyards (450-550m) and a cool Alpine climate, result in high-acid, intensely structured Nebbiolo wine with a tad more minerality than you would expect from a Nebbiolo based wine.
Also, since the Nebbiolo in this area tends to not be generous in color when macerated, it is tradition to blend Nebbiolo with the local grape Vespolina, a native grape that adds spice, freshness, and floral aromatics, enhancing Nebbiolo’s complexity. Vespolina owns its own is so cool, it’s spicy on the nose has white peppercorn and it’s vibrant like a true alpine grape should.
The Wines of Le Piane
We are excited to offer you a vertical of this magic producer. If you like Barolo and Barbaresco this is one of the coolest things that you can try, and it is uncommon to see so many vintages next to each other:
Le Piane ‘Piane’
A Bold Expression of Croatina
While Nebbiolo is the star of Boca, Croatina has long played a key role in the region’s wine culture. The ‘Piane’ is made entirely from old-vine Croatina, highlighting the intensity and rustic charm of this variety. This wine is dark, rich, and full-bodied with a distinct earthy and spicy profile.
2018 Le Piane ‘Le Piane’ Croatina