Some time ago Eric Asimov, a well-known wine and food critic for „The New York Times”, discovered wines of the Aosta Valley. He prepared a tasting report. Would it be different this year?

Even though the Aosta Valley is a small region, comparing for example to neighbouring Piedmont, it is impressive how wide a selection of white and red wines is. In the vineyards there are cultivated both native and introduced grape varieties. Picotendro is the most important.

„The Valle d’Aosta is a winding network of vineyards, some on dizzyingly steep slopes at the highest elevations of any in Europe. The wines are by both tiny producers and bigger cooperatives, coming from a few familiar grapes (pinot noir, nebbiolo, gamay) and a whole host you rarely see anywhere else, like fumin and cornalin, petit rouge and prié, which is used to make the lively and floral but wordy Vin Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle”, writes Eric Asimov in the New York Times.

Because of the alpine terrain most vineyards occupy the steep slopes and go up even above 1300m.

„What seemed to define the group to me was a kind of nervous Alpine character, a lively acidity, pale color and lightness of touch that made the wines feel fresh and vivacious. They almost demand to be served with food”, finishes Asimov.

Good food is certainly – together with wines – a top quality mark of the Aosta Valley.

If you would like to discover local vineyards and breweries, contact us and book our Wine and beer tasting tour in Northern Italy.

Read Eric Asimov article.

Wine trails in the Aosta Valley.