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Grignolino d'Asti
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Classification: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata - Quality Wines Produced in a Specific Region)
Color: ruby red tending towards orange when aged
Production zone: Piedmont
Minimum alcohol content: 11%
Varieties used: Grignolino (90-100%) with the possible addition of Freisa (0-10%) |
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Grignolino, unpredictable and delicate, has given many wine makers more than a few grey hairs. It is an all-or-nothing variety and harvests invariably fall into one of two categories: exceptional or disastrous. Mediocrity and Grignolino don't seem to go together...
That is perhaps why those who appreciate this wine rave about it so sincerely and extol the virtues of its subtle to bright ruby red color and its characteristic delicate fragrance. This wine has a persistent aftertaste that is crisp and slightly bitterish and is best served at a temperature of 18-20°C.
As regards the origin of its name, opinions are divided: one claims it originates in the Italian dialectal verb grignare, meaning "to laugh"; the other maintains the word is related to viticulture terminology, from the term gragnole, the seeds inside the grape.
What is certain is that this wine has been produced in this area for at least seven hundred years, for the joy of Piedmont cuisine lovers with its abundance of mixed fried dishes, agnolotti (small, crescent-shaped filled pasta), semi-hard cheeses and fragrant sweets. We recommend trying it with tajarin, which is the Piedmont dialect term for Taglierini (fresh, very thin, flat egg noodles) served with a fragrant porcini mushroom sauce.
This wine was first mentioned by the monks of "Capitolo di Sant'Evasio", who back in 1249 made reference to it in a leasing document, but the origins of the name are still hotly contested.
Together with Barbera and Freisa, Grignolino completes the wine growing picture of Monferrato, and this entire enological heritage can be tasted at the "'Enoteca regionale di Canelli e dell'Astesana", where visitors can also try traditional local food.
And while you are in the area, you cannot miss the "Museo di storia dell'enologia di Chieri" (Chieri history of wine making museum), which offers a unique collection of finds and relics that allow visitors to retrace the evolution of vine-growing and wine-making over the last century. This is an excellent choice of wine to accompany Tortiglioni with Red Chicory and Luganega (a type of sausage).
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