Viognier Meets the Langhe: A French Grape in Piedmontese Excellence
Discover Bosco Pierangelo's Langhe Bianco Viognier DOC 2023, a white wine that represents the perfect encounter between a prestigious international grape variety and the unique terroir of the Langhe. Aromatic, elegant, and of extraordinary complexity, this Viognier expresses the varietal character of the grape with the refinement and minerality that only the Piedmontese hills can bestow.
The Story
Viognier is a white grape variety native to the Rhône Valley, France, where it produces some of the world's most prestigious and aromatic whites, such as Condrieu. Almost extinct in the 1960s, Viognier experienced an extraordinary revival and is now successfully cultivated in various wine regions, from Australia to California, and even in Italy.
In the Langhe, a land traditionally dedicated to great reds (Barolo, Barbaresco), some enlightened producers have successfully experimented with international grape varieties, finding ideal conditions in the Piedmontese terroir to express elegance and complexity. The Langhe DOC appellation, established in 1994, allows producers to vinify both indigenous and international grape varieties, encouraging experimentation and innovation.
Bosco Pierangelo, an excellent winery in the Langhe, has chosen to cultivate Viognier on calcareous and marly soils, where the grape finds conditions similar to those of the Rhône Valley. The result is a wine that combines the typical aromaticity of Viognier - intense floral notes, exotic fruit, spices - with the minerality, freshness, and elegance that characterize the whites of the Langhe.
This Langhe Bianco Viognier DOC 2023 stands out for its intense and alluring aromatic profile: notes of white flowers (acacia, jasmine, wisteria), exotic fruit (peach, apricot, mango), citrus, and a touch of sweet spices (vanilla, ginger). On the palate, it is soft, round, and enveloping, with a significant structure balanced by a pleasant freshness and an extraordinary aromatic persistence. A wine of great personality and complexity, which expresses the best of Viognier in a Piedmontese key.
Production Area
Langhe DOC, Cuneo province, Piedmont. The vineyards extend over the Langhe hills, at an altitude between 250 and 450 meters above sea level. The climate is continental, with hot but ventilated summers, cold winters, and strong temperature fluctuations between day and night that favor the development of complex aromas and preserve natural acidity.
The soils are predominantly calcareous and marly (the famous "marls of Sant'Agata"), rich in minerals, which give the wines elegance, minerality, and that characteristic savory flavor that makes the Langhe whites so distinctive. These soils, similar to those of the Rhône Valley, are ideal for Viognier, allowing it to express all its aromaticity while maintaining freshness and balance.
The Langhe, a UNESCO heritage site since 2014, is a unique wine-growing landscape, where vineyards, forests, and medieval villages create a mosaic of extraordinary beauty. Here, tradition meets innovation, and international grape varieties like Viognier find a new expression of excellence.
Recommended Pairings
Appetizers: Fish appetizers (swordfish carpaccio, tuna tartare, marinated salmon), vitello tonnato, seafood salad.
First Courses: Seafood risotto, saffron risotto, pasta with shrimp and zucchini, tagliolini with white truffle, gnocchi with butter and sage.
Fish Main Courses: Baked fish with aromatic herbs, salt-crusted sea bass, grilled sea bream, gratinated scallops, lobster.
White Meats: Roast chicken with herbs, baked turkey, cream scaloppine, white meats with delicate sauces.
Oriental Cuisine: Thai cuisine, Vietnamese cuisine, spicy but not hot dishes, delicate curries.
Cheeses: Medium-aged cheeses such as young Castelmagno, Raschera, soft cheeses.
Piedmontese Cuisine: Agnolotti del plin with butter and sage, vitello tonnato, Russian salad, Piedmontese fondue.
Tip: This Viognier is excellent young to appreciate its aromatic freshness, but can also be aged for 2-3 years in the cellar, during which it will develop greater complexity and honeyed notes.
A Langhe Bianco Viognier DOC of great elegance and complexity, perfect for those seeking an aromatic and structured white, different from the usual. Ideal for important dinners, refined dishes, and for discovering the excellence of Langhe whites beyond Nebbiolo.
