What's Pressoir Drinking

by Edouard Bourgeois
October 7, 2021

Nebbiolo under the radar

During La Paulée, we set up a wine dinner entitled “Les Petits des Grands” where we poured the most modest, lowest ranked appellations, from the very best producers. The idea was to highlight the importance of the producer and their ability to produce superior wines, even from vineyards that don’t get the same recognition as Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. Some of these fruits may be planted “on the wrong side of the road”, on a slope that doesn’t receive as much sunlight as its neighbor, or from a spot that is geographically just outside but next to the star studded strip of the Côte d’Or.

Last week, I opened this bottle from one of my favorite Italian producers, Produttori, a true legend of Piedmont with an incredibly heritage and history.

The wine was absolutely wonderful. I love the Langhe wines. In Piedmont, the northern Italian region that borders French Alps, Barolo and Barbaresco reign suprême but the underdog appellation Langhe may provide an irresistible pleasure of crunchy ripe cherries that I adore. Tannins are gentler in Langhe also. That means a younger vintage offers more charm than a sturdier Barolo in its teenage years. Produttori has been making wine since. Mostly Barbaresco and a specialist in single vineyards. I have been impressed by the superb finesse of both old and young wines from that esteemed producer. Another thing I want to share as a sommelier secret, although I guess I’m not the first one to spill the beans, is the relative affordability of these wines. Now, of course when Produttori makes a Langhe, it’s with the same level of care, passion and nurturing they would give their famous Barbaresco cuvées, and it shows.