Alpine Wines: the Canavese area

Against the majestic backdrop of the Alps, the Canavese wine area has incredible viticultural landscapes that, climbing higher in the foothills, require feats of ingenuity and patience to cultivate. This wine territory lies within the greater Torinese wine zone, which is the one sitting closest to the Alpine mountain range in all of Piemonte. Cool, snow-topped peaks and brisk mountain air condense into crisp white wines, but at the same time, the underlying fresh chill calls for a deep, warming red. The Canavese territory, rich in cultural heritage and outstanding natural beauty, has both.

The Torinese wine zone is divided into four distinct wine regions: Canavese, Collina Torinese, Pinerolese, and the Susa Valley. Within these regions, there are seven different DOCG or DOC certified wine areas: Caluso, Canavese, Carema, Freisa di Chieri, Collina Torinese, Pinerolese, and Valsusa (in order from largest cultivated area to smallest).

Piemonte is full of incredible landscapes from every viewpoint, and the Torinese wine zone is no exception. Ancient castles and ruins of once-mighty fortresses hide in small, unassuming towns and rise unexpectedly from hilltops. The hills grow taller and spread wider the farther northwest one travels; patches of forest are interspersed with towns of stone-built homes nestled in the valleys and vineyards that reach higher up than ever expected. One of the best ways to travel this area is to follow the Royal Wine Road (Strada Reale dei Vini). Read our itinerary that goes from Ivrea to the Aosta Valley along the route here: The Royal Wine Road.

In itself, the Canavese wine zone is spectacularly beautiful and geographically varied from the plains to the Alpine foothills, as well as historically important. Its wineries rise to some of the highest elevations in all of Europe, requiring special care of the grapes to mitigate the contrast between high sun exposure during the day and the drop to cold temperatures during the night.

Caluso in the flatlands has 16^th century canals and ancient fortress ruins from the 13^th century that overlook its medieval streets. Agliè is renowned for its exquisitely restored 12^th century Ducal Castle and its 7 km expanse of well-tended gardens. Charming Carema with barely 750 inhabitants astounds travelers with traditional vineyards that are cultivated far up the mountainside, and slate-roofed houses below. Its wine makers have adapted to the tough microclimate by using concrete pylons to support their grapevines. The concrete absorbs the warmth of the sunlight and, during the cold nighttime, gradually releases the heat to the plants. Discover more about these ideal stops for exploring the Canavese: Caluso Focus and Carema Focus

The Canavese has been a crossroads and important area of trade due to its physical location, forming a natural passageway between the Aosta Valley and the rest of Piemonte. The center of trade and political activity for centuries has been Ivrea, which sits on the Dora Baltea River and once controlled the only bridge – with a toll – to the rest of Piemonte. Find out more about the ancient city of Ivrea: Ivrea Focus

The Erbaluce grape is the crowning glory of this territory, a white grape whose name is said to derive from “alba” and “luce,” or the “light of the sunrise.” Alternatively, some say it is named after the legend of a beautiful nymph named Albaluce, who shed tears from which sprung a new grapevine – the Erbaluce. The spring green grapes hang tightly together in their bunches, and the tough skins blush rosy pink as they mature. It is made into both wines and preserves because the grape itself is delicious.

Erbaluce is made into several DOCG and DOC wines, spumante, and passiti in the Canavese area, but it is not the only one to hold the proud title of certification. Nebbiolo and Barbera make several certified wines, too, for example. In all, the Canavese wine zone boasts 14 DOCG and DOC wines from 3 certified areas: Caluso, Carema, and Canavese. In fact, the biodiversity of this area was once much greater. In the Aosta Valley alone, the viticultural landscapes have been reduced from 3000 ha in the early 1800s to 600 ha by the early 2000s. Many traditional grape varieties were lost, but not all. Today, two obscure varieties are still cultivated, albeit used mostly for blends: Neretto and Ner d’Ala.

Sources

Biodiversity of Grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) Grown in the Aosta Valley.  

Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Torino. Torino DOC: Oenological Selection of the Torino Chamber of Commerce.

G. Moriondo: Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari, e Forestali. Ner D'ala.

Ministero delle Politichè Agricole, Alimentari, e Forestali. Registro Nazionale delle Varietà di Vite. Neretto di Bairo. 

Robinson, Jancis, Julia Harding, José Vòuillamoz. A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours (Google eBook). Penguin UK, Sep 26, 2013.