The local cheeses of Piedmont with the local wines that suit them, and why they work.
The cheeses of Piedmont with the wines made beside them. Pairings marked as a local tradition are the ones a regional source names; the rest are our own picks, and say so.
Qualigeo pairs Castelmagno with full-bodied reds. The crumbly, piquant paste of an aged wheel, with its blue-green veins, meets Barolo's firm tannin and high acidity, which clear the palate between pieces.
Bottles to try:
Qualigeo lists Barolo first among the structured reds it calls the classic match for Ossolano. The elastic, savoury paste with its herbal pasture notes gives Nebbiolo's tannin something to grip, and an older, more intense wheel holds its own.
Bottles to try:
Barbaresco is the kind of full-bodied red Qualigeo suggests for Castelmagno. Nebbiolo's firm tannin and high acidity cut through the crumbly, piquant paste of an aged wheel and keep its salty, savoury edge in view.
Bottles to try:
Barbera d'Asti is one of the four reds Qualigeo names for Ossolano. Its high acidity and moderate tannin cut through the elastic, savoury paste without covering the herbal pasture flavour, a softer match than Barolo.
Bottles to try:
Qualigeo says fresh Robiola di Roccaverano calls for a white wine of character. Arneis, a dry white with some body and fresh acidity, suits the creamy paste and answers the cheese's slight acidity.
Bottles to try:
Sweet against salty and veined: a Dolce Gorgonzola, soft with a sweet to slightly piquant flavour, meets a sweet, low-alcohol, fizzy Moscato whose sugar and bubbles refresh the palate.
Bottles to try:
Bettelmatt is intense and herbaceous, spicier with age. A Langhe Nebbiolo brings high acidity and medium tannin, enough grip for the alpine herbs without the weight of a Barolo, which would crowd a summer cheese.
Bottles to try:
Qualigeo pairs Bra Duro with Piedmont reds of more body and structure. Barbera d'Alba's bright acidity cuts through the savoury, aromatic aged paste, and its ripe fruit has the weight to match it.
Bottles to try:
Bra Duro is savoury and full of aroma, aged at least 180 days. Nizza, Barbera from the Asti hills at its fullest, has the body to match that depth, and its high acidity cuts through the hard, savoury paste.
Bottles to try:
Qualigeo recommends young Piedmont reds with Bra Tenero. Dolcetto fits: a young, fruity red with soft tannin, easy beside the mild, fragrant white paste of a Tenero.
Bottles to try:
The goat cheese is creamy, savoury and slightly acidic. A lightly sparkling, low-alcohol sweet Moscato d'Asti softens that tang, and its bubbles clear the creaminess from the palate.
Bottles to try:
Fresh Robiola di Roccaverano is creamy, savoury and slightly acidic. A dry, mineral Langhe Riesling with racy acidity cuts through the cream and meets the cheese's own tang instead of softening it.
Bottles to try:
Raschera is delicate and only moderately piquant, savoury when aged. Barbera d'Asti's high acidity lifts the supple ivory paste, and its moderate tannin leaves the mild, fragrant flavour of the cheese intact.
Bottles to try:
A young Murazzano is milk-white, soft and gently fragrant. A dry, fresh Arneis matches the milky softness without covering the delicate aroma, and an older, more piquant wheel still comes through.
Bottles to try:
Qualigeo says Gorgonzola Piccante prefers well-structured, aged reds. A very piquant, longer-aged Piccante can overwhelm a delicate wine, so it wants a Barolo with enough tannin and age to stand up to it.
Bottles to try:
A finely granular, delicate-flavoured wheel is salty and savoury. Barbera d'Alba's high acidity refreshes it, and with moderate tannin the wine does not fight the grainy texture.
Bottles to try:
A fresh Murazzano is milky and delicately fragrant, with piquant notes as it ages. Gavi's dry Cortese, medium in body with high acidity, cleans the palate and leaves that delicate aroma intact.
Bottles to try:
Semigrasso Toma is more intense and harmonious than the whole-milk type. Freisa's firm tannin and wild-berry fruit have the grip for it, and its high acidity keeps the soft, slightly salty paste fresh.
Bottles to try:
A whole-milk Toma is soft, sweet, slightly acidic and salty. Dolcetto's soft tannin and dark berry fruit sit easily beside it, with nothing in either to fight the other.
Bottles to try:
Explore our private Alterris estate, strolling through the vineyards, visiting our cellar dug into the hillside, and enjoying an exclusive wine and cheese pairing experience
Immerse yourself in the rich flavors and traditions of the Langhe and Roero hills with a wine and food tasting experience. Enjoy a guided winery tour and taste 5 wines...
An unforgettable day in the Langhe with a walk among the rows, lunch in the vineyard, and plenty of space for the little ones!
Not by design. Qualigeo says the blue-green veining develops naturally in the more aged wheels, without inoculating any mould.
At least 60 days under the specification, in cool, humid rooms, according to Qualigeo.
Qualigeo suggests honey and jams at the table, polenta, risotto and beef carpaccio in the kitchen, and full-bodied red wines.
Italy recognised Castelmagno as a denominazione di origine by presidential decree on 16 December 1982, and the EU registered it as a DOP in 1996.
Tenero is aged at least 45 days and has an elastic rind and white or ivory paste; Duro is aged at least 180 days, with a hard rind and straw to ochre paste, per Qualigeo.
That the cheese was made and aged in the mountain zone of Cuneo province from milk of the same origin, according to Qualigeo.
Qualigeo pairs Tenero with young Piedmont reds and Duro with Piedmont reds of more body and structure.
Italy recognised Bra as a denominazione di origine by presidential decree on 16 December 1982, and the EU registered it as a DOP in 1996.
