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Piedmonte
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Piedmonte, Italy
Overview:
Piedmont, in Italian, means at the foot of the mountain. It was originally inhabited by
Celtic tribes, which were later absorbed by the Romans. When Hannibal destroyed the Celtic capital, Taurasia, the Romans rebuilt it in the same location giving
its streets the grid pattern that that still characterize Turin today.
Piedmont was one of the first Italian regions to embrace the
industrial revolution and in 1899 the automotive giant Fiat (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino or, Automotive Italian Factory [of] Turin) was established
here, generating a modernizing trend that involved even the most isolated communities and attracted workers from other Italian regions.
The region's traditional festivals and celebrations have strong military elements reflected in the numerous sword dances
performed in many communities. Other festivals have the tradition of the badie, or abbeys, which, despite the name, were historic lay male
organizations that used to be armed and were charged with citizenry peace-keeping and the organization of public events.
The Wines:
With 46 different
DOC and four
DOCG areas, Piedmont is the region that produces the largest
number of best known, noble, and world-appreciated prize-winning wines, such as Barbera, Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Gavi, Nebbiolo, Grignolino, Malvasia and
Asti Spumante among others.
Another distinguished characteristic of Piedmont is that most of its wines are produced on family estates made up of relatively small parcels of land.
Gavi is produced in the Alto Monferrato, a vitivinicultural zone situated in the southern part of
the province of Alessandria. A total of 59 communes are involved in its output in a district that is predominantly hilly. Acqui, Ovada and Gavi are the
best-known communities in its production zone.
Gavi is made exclusively from Cortese grapes. Although that variety is extremely ancient, documentary evidence of its existence
goes back only several centuries. The first fairly detailed account of the Cortese variety is provided by the ampelography of Piedmontese grapes compiled by
Count Nuvolone, deputy director of the Agrarian Society of Turin, in 1798. The Count wrote that the Cortese variety "has rather elongated clusters and somewhat
large grapes. When they are ripe, they become yellow and are good to eat. They make good wine and in substantial quantity. And it keeps well.''
Other sources have cited production since the end of the 19th century in various parts of the region, including "old Piedmont.''
And the variety has been widely praised for its purity as well as its output. Today, cultivation of Cortese, which is highly resistant, is especially intensive
in the area bounded by the Bormida and Scrivia rivers in the province of Alessandria.
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