Not only does Italy have an unparalleled array of native grapes in its vineyards, it has wines from those grapes that are well-worth the effort to find. For all the “also-ran” grapes out there, anonymously added to blends to add color, acidity, tannin, etc., there are others that demand a showcase in a bottle and on a label. Today, meet your new favorite: Pelaverga.
This is an aromatic, floral, utterly delicious red grown on the edge of the Barolo wine zone in Piedmont—and nowhere else. There are maybe 20 hectares of Pelaverga in existence and maybe a dozen producers, most of them in its namesake village of Verduno, making wines from the variety. In addition to the great Barolo wines they make from their vineyards in Verduno (one of the 11 communes in the Barolo DOCG zone), Alessandria’s “Speziale” Verduno Pelaverga is a regional benchmark. It is also a pure joy to drink, even if it’s a little hard to pin down. It will remind you of reds from Jura and Cru Beaujolais in France, Burgenland in Austria, and numerous cool-climate spots elsewhere in northern Italy, but more importantly, it will surprise you with its complexity. It’s light and soft but not simple, and as always, there’s not very much of it produced. Get yourself some before it disappears for another year!
Verduno Pelaverga is a name for the piccolo strain of this variety, which is confined to Verduno and the neighboring villages of Roddi and La Morra. While it often factored into regional blends in the past, it has developed a cult following as a varietal wine, thanks not only to Alessandria’s excellent version but to bottlings from neighbors such as G.B. Burlotto and Castello di Verduno. This trio of producers has raised the profile of Verduno over the years, as their finessed, high-toned Barolo wines have garnered ever-greater critical acclaim; Pelaverga has played its part, too, as it is precisely the kind of delicious, affordable, singular wine sommeliers are keen to showcase on their lists.
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 Alessandria). 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.
Alessandria’s 2018 “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, 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, pink peppercorn, underbrush, leather, and dried flowers. It is medium-bodied, with barely perceptible tannins letting the juicy fruit shine and plenty of freshness. Although decanting certainly 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 55-60 degrees. Pour some in Burgundy stems with 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. Enjoy!
