Building an identity for Alta Langa – Piedmont's revitalised sparkling wines
Richard Baudains visits producers of Alta Langa metodo classico sparkling wines to better understand the people and the wines.
We are standing on the panoramic terrace of the tasting room of the Borgo Maragliano winery in Loazzolo, in the Alta Langa.
The Galliano family have produced Moscato here for three generations. They began to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the early 1980s, and were among the first of the new generation of ground-breaking metodo classico producers in the Langhe area of Piedmont.
The cellars are at 450 metres above sea level, while the average elevation of the vineyards spread out below us in a patchwork of vines, pastures and woodland is around 400m.
Carlo Galliano points to a plot which has been cleared on a hillside high above us, on the opposite side of the valley.
‘It’s at 600m,’ he explains. ‘The soils are perfect for Pinot Noir, but my father would never have planted a vineyard at that height. It would never have ripened. But today with the climate we have, it’s different. I’m going to be planting there in the spring.’
Taking advantage
When the production norms for the Alta Langa DOC (later DOCG) were drawn up in 2002, they stipulated that the wine had to be sourced from vineyards at above 250m.
Today the producers’ consorzio estimates that the average elevation is between 400 and 550m, although many growers are exploiting the opportunity offered by a changing climate to plant much higher – on sites where the grapes tick all the boxes for sparkling wine production; intense aroma, high acidity and low sugar.
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When the Rivetti family acquired the historic house of Contratto in 2011, they planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dedicated to Alta Langa sparkling wine at between 700m and 820m.
And when Sara Vezza from the Josetta Saffirio winery at Monforte embarked on a production of her metodo classico, she planted on virgin soils at 700m at Murazzano, in an area of high pastures renowned for its cheeses and certainly not in the past for its wines.
It will be interesting to see how the arrival of viticulture will impact these often isolated rural sites in the future.
Italian metodo classico: A brief history
When it comes to metodo classico wines, Alta Langa is very much the new player on the block.
The three other major Italian DOCs for bottle re-fermented wines all arrived much earlier: Trento DOC dates from 1993, Oltre Po from 1970, and Franciacorta from 1967.
Yet production of metodo classico is not new to Piedmont – in 1850, following studies in Reims, Carlo Gancia founded the house of Gancia at Canelli.
Adapting the French system of bottle re-fermention using the local grape Moscato, he produced what is documented as Italy’s first traditional method sparkling wine.
Other historic houses including Calissano, Contratto and Cora followed suit, adding sparkling wines to the flourishing production of Vermouth of the period, emulating Champagne not only in the production method but also in the flamboyant liberty-style advertising posters which have become collectors’ items.
But then it all died away.
Fast forward to 1990, and a group of seven major Piedmontese houses launched a project to recreate the production of prestige metodo classico, which had been lost in the region.
In what would make an interesting case study in entrepreneurial initiative, the project started from zero, with experimental plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and by 1996, there were 48 hectares under vine.
The name Alta Langa was registered in 1998, and the following year the first wines were released.
The producers’ consorzio was founded in 2001, and in record time, DOC recognition arrived in 2002 for the new sparkling wine.
Building an identity
To create a distinctive identity for the new Alta Langa denomination, the production regulations drawn up in 2002 set the bar high.
To begin with, the base must be Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir, used individually or in combination.
There is no non-vintage version – Alta Langa is exclusively ‘millesimato’ – and it must age on its lees for a minimum of 30 months (36 months for the Riserva; this will increase to 60 months when the latest modifications to the regulations come into effect).
The potential area of production for Alta Langa is vast, taking in 149 villages in the three wine growing provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo.
But currently, only 600ha are registered. To put that in perspective, Barbaresco has around 750ha registered.
Calcareous marl soils predominate, with varying textures depending on the percentage of clay to sand.
Production is limited but growing, with projections for the 2025 total of two million bottles to increase to five million by 2030.
Two great Piedmontese traditions are reflected in the cross-section of Alta Langa producers.
On one hand, there are the long-established sparkling wine and Vermouth houses like Cocchi, Coppi, Contratto and Gancia; on the other hand, small- to medium-scale family-run estates.
Many famous names from the red wine denominations of the Langhe have added Alta Langa to their lists, as have Moscato producers from Asti.
The Alta Langa style
If Trento DOC is all about crisp elegance, and Franciacorta round complexity, Alta Langa offers structure and depth.
The absence of an entry level non-vintage label, combined with extended ageing, are distinguishing features accentuated by the orientation of many producers towards the driest pas dosé (equivalent to brut nature) and extra brut styles.
These styles are not always the most accessible, however, and blanc de noir bottlings in particular can feel very dry indeed, and undeniably Piedmontese: austere, long-lived, and great with food.
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Join NowRichard Baudains was born and bred in Jersey in the Channel Islands and trained to be a teacher of English as a foreign language. After several years in various foreign climes, Baudains settled down in beautiful Friuli-Venezia Giulia, having had the good fortune to reside previously in the winemaking regions of Piemonte, Tuscany, Liguria and Trentino-Alto Adige. Baudains wrote his first article for Decanter in 1989 and has been a regular contributor on Italian wines ever since. His day job as director of a language school conveniently leaves time for a range of wine-related activities including writing for the Slow wine guide, leading tastings and lecturing in wine journalism at L’Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche and for the web-based Wine Scholars’ Guild.
Facts Only
The Borgo Maragliano winery in Loazzolo, Alta Langa, produces metodo classico sparkling wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir planted in the early 1980s.
Vineyards in Alta Langa are typically at 400-550m elevation, with some producers now planting as high as 800m due to climate change.
The Alta Langa DOCG was established in 2002, requiring wines to be vintage-dated and aged on lees for at least 30 months (36 for Riserva, increasing to 60 months).
The production area spans 149 villages across Alessandria, Asti, and Cuneo, with 600ha currently registered.
Historic producers like Contratto and Gancia have expanded into Alta Langa, alongside smaller family estates and Moscato producers.
The style emphasizes dry, structured wines, often pas dosé or extra brut, with blanc de noir bottlings being particularly austere.
Production is projected to grow from two million bottles in 2025 to five million by 2030.
Notable producers include Saffirio, Borgo Maragliano, Contratto, Ettore Germano, and Cocchi.
The region’s soils are predominantly calcareous marl with varying clay and sand content.
The first modern Alta Langa wines were released in 1999, following experimental plantings in the 1990s.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The revival of Alta Langa’s metodo classico wines reflects broader trends in Italian viticulture, where climate change is enabling higher-altitude plantings and producers are rediscovering historic traditions. The region’s strict production standards—vintage-only wines with extended lees aging—position it as a premium player in Italy’s sparkling wine landscape, distinct from the more established Franciacorta and Trento DOCs. The emphasis on dry styles and high-acid profiles aligns with global demand for food-friendly, terroir-driven sparkling wines, though it may limit mainstream appeal compared to sweeter or more approachable styles.
**Patterns detected: none**
The narrative highlights a tension between tradition and innovation: while Alta Langa’s roots trace back to 19th-century sparkling wine production, its modern identity is shaped by climate adaptation and entrepreneurial initiative. The focus on small-scale, family-run estates alongside historic houses suggests a deliberate effort to cultivate authenticity, but the rapid growth projections raise questions about scalability and potential dilution of quality. For consumers, the austere style may require education, as these wines demand attention and pairing with food rather than casual sipping.
**Bridge questions:**
How will climate change continue to reshape Alta Langa’s viticultural boundaries, and what risks does this pose to long-term sustainability?
Could the region’s strict regulations become a double-edged sword, limiting flexibility as consumer preferences evolve?
What role might Alta Langa play in redefining Italy’s sparkling wine hierarchy, particularly in comparison to Prosecco’s global dominance?
**Counterstrike scan:** If this were part of a coordinated campaign, it might emphasize Alta Langa’s exclusivity to justify premium pricing or position it as a "hidden gem" to attract investment. However, the content focuses on factual production details and stylistic characteristics without overt marketing language, suggesting genuine journalistic intent rather than promotional manipulation.
Sentinel — Human
LIKELY_HUMAN (confidence: 0.15)