The Italy Wine Project

Regions / Piedmont

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Colline Saluzzesi DOC

A tiny alpine-foothill DOC that survives on two local grapes: Pelaverga Grosso, a different variety from Verduno's Pelaverga Piccolo, and Quagliano, which is mostly made into a frothy sweet red. The pelaverga here is pale, peppery and floral with wild strawberry fruit, very low tannin and a savory, slightly bitter finish. Quagliano tastes like raspberry soda for grown-ups. Only a handful of growers bottle any of it.

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Bottles I'm chasing

ProducerWinePriceBuy
Cascina Melognis
Colline Saluzzesi Pelaverga Grosso Divicaroli
The one US-imported wine of the DOC: pale ruby, white pepper, wild strawberry, herbal bitterness, light body.
$28 to $35Wine-Searcher
Casetta
Colline Saluzzesi Pelaverga
Fratelli Casetta bottle a simple, fresh version; peppery, low alcohol, chill it lightly, mostly sold in Italy.
$15 to $20Wine-Searcher
Castellar
Colline Saluzzesi Quagliano
Frothy sweet red from the Quagliano grape, raspberry and violet, drink cold with dessert; not exported.
$12 to $18Wine-Searcher