Langhe DOC: the hills around Alba beyond Barolo and Barbaresco
The Langhe is the range of steep, vine-covered hills south of the Tanaro river around Alba in Piedmont. It is the home of Barolo and Barbaresco, but this page is about the Langhe DOC, the appellation that covers the same hills and gives producers room to work outside those two DOCGs. A wine labelled Langhe plus a grape name must contain at least 85% of that variety. Langhe Rosso and Langhe Bianco are freer blends. Barolo, Barbaresco and the Alba wines such as Barbera d'Alba have their own pages, so you will find them there rather than here.
The permitted grapes range from Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Freisa and Barbera to Arneis, Favorita, Nascetta, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon, Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. That is why the Langhe label sits on everything from a weekday Nebbiolo to some of Piedmont's most ambitious whites.
Langhe Nebbiolo, the younger sibling of Barolo
Most of what people search for under this name is Langhe Nebbiolo, and for good reason. It comes from the same Nebbiolo grape and often from the same growers as Barolo and Barbaresco, frequently from younger vines or from plots just outside the DOCG boundaries. Producers usually release it earlier, so you get the rose petal, red cherry, tar and orange peel of Nebbiolo with softer tannins and a wine you can open now. Unlike Nebbiolo d'Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo may include up to 15% of other red grapes.
The range here reads like a who's who of the Barolo hills: G.D. Vajra, Cavallotto, Aldo Conterno's Il Favot, Elio Altare, Massolino, Prunotto Occhetti, Marchesi di Gresy Martinenga, Produttori del Barbaresco, La Spinetta and E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis. Giacomo Borgogno's No Name is a story in itself: it was born as a protest after a Barolo sample was turned down by the tasting commission, and it has been released as Langhe Nebbiolo under that defiant label ever since.
White Langhe: Arneis, Nascetta, Chardonnay and Riesling
The Langhe is red-wine country at heart, yet its whites are well worth exploring. Arneis gives pear, almond and white flowers, as in Borgogno's Rivata. Nascetta, a rare native grape revived around Novello, is aromatic with herbs and citrus; try Mirafiore's version. Favorita, a local relative of Vermentino, is crisp and light, as in Angelo Negro's Onorata. Then come Gaja's Rossj-Bass Chardonnay and Alteni di Brassica Sauvignon, Aldo Conterno's Bussiador, and Rieslings from Ettore Germano (Herzu), Massolino and Fontanafredda (Marin) from cool, high sites.
Langhe Rosso, Freisa and Dolcetto
Langhe Rosso is where producers blend freely. Elio Altare's La Villa, Rocche dei Manzoni's Quatr Nas and Marchesi di Gresy's Virtus all sit under this name, and Gaja's Darmagi shows that the appellation also allows Cabernet Sauvignon. Freisa is Nebbiolo's lively, slightly wild relative, with raspberry fruit and firm tannin: G.D. Vajra's Kyè, Vietti and G.B. Burlotto make serious examples. For Dolcetto, Teo Costa's Trifulot is soft, dark-fruited and made for the dinner table.
Langhe wine with food
Langhe Nebbiolo suits the local kitchen: tajarin with truffle, agnolotti del plin, roast veal or mushroom risotto. Freisa and Dolcetto suit salumi, pizza and grilled sausages. Arneis and Nascetta work with antipasti, fish and vegetables, while the oak-aged Chardonnays can take roast chicken or creamy pasta.
Langhe FAQ
What is the difference between Langhe Nebbiolo and Barolo?
Both are Nebbiolo from the same hills. Barolo comes from a defined zone of eleven communes, must be 100% Nebbiolo and has long minimum ageing. Langhe Nebbiolo can come from anywhere in the wider Langhe area, may include up to 15% other red grapes and is usually released younger, with gentler tannins.
Why are some Gaja single-vineyard wines labelled Langhe?
From the 1996 vintage Angelo Gaja added a little Barbera to Sorì Tildìn, Sorì San Lorenzo and Costa Russi, which moved them to the Langhe DOC. From the 2013 vintage they returned to Barbaresco as pure Nebbiolo.
Is Langhe the same as Alta Langa?
No. Alta Langa is a separate DOCG for traditional-method sparkling wine from the higher hills. The Langhe DOC covers still red, white and rosé wines.