Wine Trails: Eight Piedmont wineries to visit

Plan your Italian getaway with these eight top Piedmont wineries to visit, from Lonely Planet’s new book Wine Trails.

04 – Ca del Baio
Three generations work together in this idyllic winery nestling in a valley of vineyards. This is classic Barbaresco country, a wine that historically has been the ‘little brother’ of Barolo, but when you taste this family’s vintages, you’ll discover it can reach equally great heights.

The winemaking is in the hands of three dynamic sisters, Paola, Valentina and Federica, who recount ‘when our great-grandfather bought the land in 1900, everyone thought he was mad, that it was just worthless woodlands. But he always believed in the potential of the soil and began planting vines, firstly selling demijohns in the post-war industrial boom of Torino, then bottling the wine himself and concentrating on quality’.

Their Treiso cru from around the winery is surprisingly supple, while the cru from vineyards in Barbaresco itself is far more complex and really needs to be aged. Don’t miss the eminently drinkable Dolcetto – ‘great with a pizza,’ says Paola with a grin. There’s also a wonderful Moscato d’Asti, just 5% alcohol but bursting with fruit, like a fizzy grape juice.

www.cadelbaio.com
tel +39 0173-638219
Via Ferrere Sottano 33, Treiso

Estratto dalla rivista Online Decanter, sezione Wine Travel:
www.decanter.com