Piedmont “the foot of the mountain” is the glorious wine region that is famous for its vigorous, rich, multidimensional red wines. Piedmont is the home to the great Nebbiolo grape, which makes both Barolo and Barbaresco. The Barolo region consists of two valleys. The central valley, rich in calcareous marl, produces delicate and perfumed wines from the villages of Barolo and La Morra. The Serralunga Valley produces fuller bodied and tannic wines from sandstone soil. The villages in the Serralunga Valley are Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba. Two other villages are becoming increasingly important, Verduno in the North and Novello in the south are producing excellent wines that are challenging the more famous areas. Within all these villages are single vineyards of great distinction that are as diverse, complex, and compelling as any of the greatest sites in Burgundy. Barbaresco lies to the east of Alba. It’s a smaller region that can be divided into three sub zones: Barbaresco, Treiso, and Neive. The soils are similar to Barolo but lighter and more uniform. The climate is warmer which allows the grapes to ripen before Barolo. There are similarities to Barolo but generally Barbaresco is more elegant with softer, riper tannins. Both wines need extended cellaring to express their true greatness.