The commune of Verduno is one of the 11 towns that fall within Piedmont’s Barolo wine zone, and is known for Barolos of exceptional finesse and aromatic complexity. But in addition to Nebbiolo for Barolo, Verduno is also known for a distinctive indigenous grape called Pelaverga, which doesn’t grow anywhere else in the world but here and in parts of two neighboring villages.
Grape varieties don’t get more regionally specific than this—only about 20 hectares of Pelaverga vineyards exist in total—and if you’ve never tried the bright, smoky, spicy red wine it produces, I must insist you do so today. There is truly nothing like it, although you’ll notice kindred qualities to the reds of France’s Jura; Austria’s Burgenland; and Italy’s Alto Adige. Struggle as you might to place it in context, you’ll nevertheless find it effortlessly easy to enjoy: Its sprightly character and perfumed aromatics will charm your socks off, and, given how little is produced, we’re lucky to get any at all to share. For a middleweight red, it’s got an awful lot going on, and for all its straightforward refreshment, it lingers in your memory long after the bottle is finished—which usually occurs quickly. Blessed with both soft tannins and a sneakily complex mix of fruit and savor, this 2017 is ready to drink right now and priced to enjoy regularly. Grab some before it disappears!
Verduno Pelaverga is a name for the “piccolo” strain of this variety, which, as its name suggests, has smaller berries and clusters than Pelaverga Grosso, a distinct sub-variety grown elsewhere in Piedmont. Pelaverga Piccolo is confined to Verduno and parts of the neighboring villages of Roddi and La Morra, and while it often factored into regional blends in the past, it has developed a cult following as a ‘varietal’ wine, thanks not only to the excellent version produced by Alessandria but to bottlings from neighbors such as G.B. Burlotto and Castello di Verduno. This trio of producers has greatly raised the profile of Verduno over the years, as their finessed, high-toned Barolo wines have garnered ever-greater critical acclaim, but Pelaverga has played its part, too—it’s exactly the kind of delicious, affordable, hyper-local wine that sommeliers are keen to showcase on their lists. I tend to think of it as a ‘restaurant-first’ kind of wine, and was a little surprised we got enough of it to offer on SommSelect.
Essentially an ‘extension’ of the La Morra vineyard area, with similar southeastern/southern exposures in the best sites, Verduno’s vineyards are headlined by the iconic “Monvigliero” cru, source of some of truly legendary Barolo bottlings (including one from the Alessandria family). In total, the Alessandrias farm just 12 hectares of vineyards, most of them in Verduno, as part of an estate that has been in the family since 1870. These days it’s Gian Battista Alessandria running the show, with help from his wife, Flavia, brother, Alessandro, and son, Vittore.
The Alessandria Pelaverga “Speziale” is sourced from an assortment of small, high-elevation vineyard sites in the sandy, clay/limestone soils of Verduno. It was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, followed by a few months in bottle, before release, resulting in a red of exuberant freshness and an intriguingly smoky soil component. In the glass, it’s a medium ruby red with pink highlights, with perfumed aromas of small red berries, rhubarb, rose hips, black pepper, underbrush, leather, and dried flowers. It is medium-bodied, with barely perceptible tannins letting the juicy fruit shine and plenty of bright acidity keeping the wine both refreshing and surprisingly long on the finish. You can’t help breaking out into a broad, contented smile when you drink this wine: Although decanting wouldn’t hurt, it’s not necessary, and, much as I do with Jura wines from grapes like Trousseau and Ploussard, I favor a serving temperature closer to the 55- to 60-degree mark. Pour some in Burgundy stems next to a platter of cured meats or maybe the attached cranberry stuffed pork chops. Or just enjoy it on its own as an apéritif. Local legend in Verduno is that Pelaverga is an aphrodisiac, so really any occasion will do. Don’t miss out on this—it may be the only one we offer all year!
