The best wines from Sésia in Italy

In the north of Piemonte, the vineyards are located in the river valleys of the Sésia and the Dora Baltea river. Here, the famous Nebbiolo grape dominates. For a long time, the vineyards were the most famous in Piemonte. Until they were surpassed by the Barolo and the Barbaresco at the end of the last century. Only the best winemakers succeed in challenging these giants.

The vineyards of Gattarina and Ghemme are located in the Sésia valley. The best wines are pressed here from the Nebbiolo from vineyards of gravel and volcanic soil. The wines with the DOCG Gatrarina status are aged in wood for a year, the Reserve from Gattarina for two and the DOCG Ghemme is in the barrel for no less than 25 months. The Nebbiolo juice may be mixed with a little juice from the Vespolina and the Bonarda Piemontese. These are powerful wines that can generally age for a long time.

Other appellations in the Sésia valley are Lessona, Bramaterra, Boca, Sizzano and Fara. These vineyards mainly produce bottles of faded glory. It certainly doesn't have to be bad, but it simply doesn't compare to the Barolo and the Barbaresco.

A special wine from the Dora Baltea valley is the sweet wine from the Erbaluce grape. Its sour juice is suitable for a fresh Spumante. But the best grapes of the Erbaluce are used for a sweet passito. The grapes are dried for months and then matured for a long time in wooden barrels. This noble sweet Erbaluce is lush and ripe, with a scent of dried fruit, nuts and citrus peel. Only in the best years do a few winemakers make a still dry wine from the Erbaluce. It is tight and fresh.