Value of the Month
by Tom Wolf
Due east of Turin lies Cantine Valpane, a small family winery focused on traditional Piemontese grapes that too often fly under the radar among wine drinkers this side of the Atlantic—varieties like Freisa, Grignolino, and even a Piemontese favorite, Barbera. One of the stars of the Monferrato, Cantine Valpane’s Pietro Arditi knows that the terroir here, which features a relatively warm climate and long hours of sunlight, allows the grapes to ripen completely and unleashes the full personality of the variety. In other words, the Monferrato is ideally suited to Barbera, and the top vignaioli of the region dedicate their best bottlings to the grape.
You can taste this in Cantine Valpane’s Rosso Pietro, with its soaring aromatics and flavors of black cherries, herbs, blackcurrant, and earth. This rosso is made for pure pleasure—and for pizza/pasta night—and you’ll be amazed by how much refinement and complexity are also on display.
2018 Barbera del Monferrato “Rosso Pietro”
Italy | Piedmont