Langhe
Continental
The fog-wrapped hills around Alba: Nebbiolo's heartland, and home to Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and white truffles.
Overview
About Langhe
The Langhe is the hilly area south and east of the Tanaro river around the town of Alba, in the south of Piedmont. Its patchwork of steep, vine-covered ridges is the setting for Barolo and Barbaresco, both made only from Nebbiolo, as well as Barbera d'Alba and Dolcetto d'Alba. It is also the source of Alba's prized white truffles and hazelnuts.
The Langhe, Roero and Monferrato vineyard landscape was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. Named vineyard sites matter a great deal here and may be put on the label, though they are not officially ranked.
Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.
Italy
Shaded: Cuneo. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Continental
Continental, with hot summers, cold winters and dense autumn fog (nebbia). The Alps shelter the hills, and a long, cool ripening season allows late-ripening Nebbiolo to be picked in October.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Marl and sandstone of Miocene origin, with soils varying from ridge to ridge. Tortonian marl in the west gives more perfumed wines, and sandier Serravallian soils in the east give firmer ones.
Side by side
Barolo vs Barbaresco
Barolo
- Soil
- Tortonian marl in the west, and sandier Serravallian soils in the east
- Dominant grapes
- Nebbiolo, 100%
- Typical style
- Powerful, tannic and long-lived; at least 38 months' ageing before release
Barbaresco
- Soil
- Mostly calcareous Tortonian marl
- Dominant grapes
- Nebbiolo, 100%
- Typical style
- Usually more elegant and earlier-drinking; at least 26 months' ageing
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
The Langhe's best wines are DOCGs, and the vineyard site may appear on the label without being officially ranked.
Barolo and Barbaresco DOCG
Nebbiolo only, with long minimum ageing before release.
Named vineyard sites
Known as MGAs (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive). They function like informal crus, but there is no official ranking.
Langhe DOC and Alba DOCs
Broader appellations, including Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barbera d'Alba and Dolcetto d'Alba.
Within Langhe
Appellations
Barbaresco
Nebbiolo's more elegant sibling: silkier and earlier-drinking than Barolo, from a smaller, warmer zone north-east of Alba.
Barolo
The 'king of wines': powerful, tannic Nebbiolo from a cluster of hilltop villages, with tar and roses, and the ability to age for decades.
What's grown here
Grapes
Grapes linked to Langhe or to a place within it. Each grape's page links back here.