#PopWine: Piemonte's top wines under €15

GazzaGolosa, the food, wine and dining section of Italy's popular publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, publishes a new wine, recipe, and back story each Friday. This edition of#PopWine highlights what its younger target audience is looking for: good wine at a reasonable price. As GazzaGolosa states, “You can drink well, and sometimes very well, without spending too much.” That is something that we can all raise a glass to, whatever our age.

The top 50 wines were chosen from about 300 bottles heralding from as many Italian wineries. For anyone who knows the viti-landscape of this country, 50 may not even cover the variety of wines in a single region. A list like this is bound to create disagreement, but it is nonetheless a valuable guide for high quality wines under €15. Perhaps we can hope for follow-up editions (note: you're sure to find these prices in Italy, but abroad and in other currencies, depending on where you live, the price tag could, unfortunately, increase. What can we say? Visit Italy!).

Of the top 50, eight Piemontese wines made the list. One, in fact, entered in the top three: the Nebbiolo from Perit Iaretti came in second place.

In order of ranking in the top 50 high quality Italian wines under €15, we present to you the eight Piemontese jewels:

Nebbiolo Velut Luna 2011, Paride Iaretti: €12 “Made from pure Nebbiolo, bright garnet in color and very classic. On the nose, there are notes of violet, cyclamen, and rose; then cherry, raspberry, hints of licorice and a touch of iron, all with a vanilla undertone. It is fresh and lively, with fine, silky tannins from the Nebbiolo and the crisp tastesof raspberry and licorice. It is already well-balanced with the right grade of alcohol, and the aromas and flavors meld together serenely. This Nebbiolo is ideal with meat dishes.” (vedstore.it)

Az. Vitivinicola Paride Iaretti
via Pietro Micca, 23/b
13045 Gattinara, VC
Cell. +39 340 3191157
parideiaretti@libero.it

Barbera Superiore d’Asti 2011, Michele Chiarlo: €12 According to K&L Wines, Michele Chiarlo’s Barbera is the first and only Italian wine to receive “Best Value” recognition in all the top wine magazines, including Decanter, Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Gambero Rosso. “Dark ruby color; appealing, baked raspberry, oak nose; tasty, accessible, fresh, rounded, ripe raspberry, raspberry puree, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish.” (Richard Jennings)

“The 2011 Barbera d’Asti Superiore Le Orme displays a more pungent and slightly spicier aromatic quality. This would be a terrific wine to drink with gnocchi and melted gorgonzola cheese because the fresh acidity can slice straight through the fattiness of the dish. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2015.” (Wine Advocate)

Michele Chiarlo
Strada Nizza-Canelli
14042 Calamandrana (AT)
Tel. (+39) 0141 769030
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Barbera d’Asti Donna Elena 2010, Cascina delle Rose: €14 “Vines planted in 1948, old rupestris. Spicy and sweet nose, which is stunning and totally terroir-driven, hinting at a little camphor, mild wild berry fruit, and a licorice top note. This is a little on the soft side for Barbera but clear and open with fresh wild berry fruit, succulent red currants and wild blackberries topped with minty hints and a touch of stemmy and woodsy complexity. Totally refined and totally compelling Barbera.” (Gregory del Piaz, www.snooth.com)

Cascina delle Rose
Via Riosordo, 58
12050 Barbaresco (CN)
Tel.+39 0173 638292 / 638322
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Langhe Anas-Cetta 2012, Elvio Cogno: €13 “Bitter orange and rosemary aromas pop on the nose followed by complex notes of green tea with some beeswax, a very aromatic floral quality and a hint of cotton bandage. Some full roundness early on the palate leads to a mid-palate that shows of a slightly waxy texture with good depth and an early mineral note. In the glass, this turns much more mineral and a touch bitter on the back end with good length to the apricot skin laced finish that ends on a green plum note and lingering mouthwatering acidity.” (Gregory del Piaz, www.snooth.com)

Az. Agricola Elvio Cogno
Località Ravera, 2
12060 Novello (CN)
Tel. +39 0173-744006
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Moscato d’Asti Lumine 2013, Ca' D’Gal: €11 “This wine is very fresh and begins with elegant aromas, like acacia, salvia, musk, and rosemary, accompanied by light perfumes of peach, apricot, and green apple. It has a lively perlage, and the harmony between residual sugar and acidity “illuminate” (lumine) it, making it a wine that is truly drinkable, not cloying. It is excellent served with desserts made from cornmeal or hazelnut cakes. It is also perfect with fresh, seasonal fruit like strawberries, peach, melon, wild berries and raspberries, or with a scoop of gelato.” (Winemaker’s notes)

Ca' d'Gal
Strada Vecchia di Valdivilla, 1
12058 - S.Stefano Belbo (CN)
+39 0141847103
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Barbera Campo del Marrone 2010, Bruno Verdi: €10 This 100% Barbera wine shines a brilliant ruby with violet reflections. It has an intense, full aroma of violet, leather, tobacco, and pennyroyal; then pulpy fruit and some spicy scents of pepper. It is firm, compact, and cherry in the mouth; develops smoothly into a long finish. All in all, it is well balanced and has a great body. Pairs well with braised meat, game, and aged cheeses. (Winemaker’s notes)

Azienda Agricola Verdi Paolo 
Via Vergomberra 5
27044 Canneto Pavese (PV)
Tel. +39 0385 88023
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Verduno Pelaverga 2012, Fratelli Alessandria: €10 “The 2012 Speziale Verduno Pelaverga offers a rare opportunity to taste Pelaverga Piccolo, a native grape vinified only by a handful of producers in Piedmont. It opens with a light ruby-pink color (the same hue as a Rosato from southern Italy or Spain) and the most mind-bending bouquet imaginable that sees tiny berry nuances of wild strawberries and fresh raspberries flush against a veritable wall of freshly ground white pepper. Your nostrils even twitch just smelling it. The mouthfeel is lean and fresh, but this is a fascinating wine with irresistible appeal to intellectuals of the indigenous grape. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2014.” (Monica Larner, Wine Advocate)

Fratelli Alessandria
Via Beato Valfrè, 59
12060 Verduno (CN)
Tel. +39 0172 470113
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Nebbiolo Coste della Sesia 2012, Travaglini: €12  The Nebbiolo Coste della Sesia is ruby red in color, overall very satisfying with a good minerality paired with violet, licorice, and finishing with rose. In the mouth it is pleasant, balanced, and persistent. It pairs well with appetizers of meats like salami or prosciutto, pasta with flavorful sauces, and well-aged cheeses. (www.winepoint.it)

Azienda Vitivinicola Travaglini
Strada delle Vigne 36
13045 Gattinara (VC)
Tel. +39.0163.833.588
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 Click here to see GazzaGolosa's full list of Italy's top 50 #PopWines