Description

I’ve only ever had lovely wine from Piazzo and the Piazzo Aiman is the perfect illustration of the powers of this winery. It is the real deal with the tar n roses, cherries and a hint of liquorice. The palate is savoury, leather, earthy, a waft of pepper and of course, a fair whack of dry tannins. What is amazing is that it is all in balance and is ready to drink now.

While I have no doubt Piazzo Aiman will improve for many years, it is just a delicious drink from the second you pull cork. Pair Piazzo Aiman with mushroom risotto.

Piazzo Aiman Langhe Nebbiolo 2020, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Newlyweds Armando and Gemma Piazzo started buying and preparing land in the Langhe in the 1960s. Their first release was 1979 Barbaresco. Now they have 70 hectares across Piedmont, showcasing many of the local varieties with a couple of the international grapes made too.

Piazzo Aiman Langhe Nebbiolo 2020 Winery Notes

“The Piedmontese term Aiman recalls softness and fluffy sensations which, in this case, caress the palate in a new and (re)fined sip.

The new 2020 vintage presents the Langhe Nebbiolo in a partially renewed style and concept: the varietal aromas of flowers and fruits remain intense and fine, enhanced by the fermentation at low temperatures.

The real news is the aging in large vats: the tannins soften and are well integrated in an elegant and soft sip liven up by the typical freshness of Nebbiolo.”

Langhe

A recent ‘catch-all’ addition that allows greater flexibility to producers in the established DOC & DOCG regions (such as Barolo and Barbaresco). Used by producers wanting to blend native with international varieties, experiment with aging lengths and newer winemaking practices.

Nebbiolo

They are famously producing long-lived red wines. Light of colour, but abundant in tannin. Barolo and Barbaresco are the pinnacles of Nebbiolo. But many local and international regions are catching up. Typical flavours include tar, roses, anise, cherry, blackberry and truffle.

Italian Wine

There are 1000s and 1000s of grapes in Italy. There are sub-alpine cool-climate regions in the North, and Sun-baked vineyards in the South. Add to that, volcanoes and many cultures within one Country. You could struggle to find anything uniform about the wines. The best of the best include Tuscan reds from Sangiovese or Cabernet. Nebbiolo from Piedmont, especially Barolo and Barbaresco. The aromatic whites of NE Italy from Garganega, Pinot Grigio, and numerous crazy blends. The volcanic wines of Mt Etna in Sicily. And many more.

The only generalisation I will make is that a lot of Italian wine is undervalued when compared to a similar French style.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is special. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

Red Wine

Fun fact; most of the colour for wines comes from the skins. There are only a handful of grapes that have red juice. Alicante is the most well known of these grapes.

By macerating the juice on the skins, the wine gains tannins, and flavours. Certain compounds change the chemistry of the wine too.

Red wines tend to have higher alcohol. More tannin and more oak flavours compared to other styles of wine. But the thousands of grapes and terroirs they grow in influence this.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.