Terre Alfieri is Piedmont's newest DOCG

After a process that began ten years ago with the award of the Terre Alfieri DOC, the Piedmontese appellation has now been promoted to DOCG.

Terre Alfieri, which covers an area of about 40ha to the south-west of Asti, allows for the production of two DOCG wines: Terre Alfieri Arneis and Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo.

Terre Alfieri Arneis has to be made with a minimum of 85% Arneis grapes and yields up to 10t/ha are permitted. The Superiore version requires a minimum of six months of ageing.

Meanwhile, Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo has to be made with a minimum of 85% Nebbiolo grapes and yields up to 8.5t/ha are permitted. The Superiore version requires a minimum of 12 months of ageing, at least six of which in wooden barrels; while the Riserva needs 24 months of ageing, of which at least 12 in wooden barrels.

The Terre Alfieri DOCG is being looked after by the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato. The consortium is responsible for three further DOCGs: Barbera d'Asti, Nizza, and Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato - none of which is Nebbiolo-based.

As "the mandatory minimum ageing period of four months for Terre Alfieri Arneis has been eliminated, and retroactivity is in force for those wines that are still in the cellar and that have observed the production criteria necessary to obtain the Superiore or Riserva type", the consortium says that DOCG labels might enter the market as early as before the end of this year.