Can Alta Langa fizz refresh its image?
The challenge for Alta Langa is to transform Italy’s first historic traditional method sparkling wine into a contemporary offering. How are producers responding? LM Archer reports. The post Can Alta Langa fizz refresh its image? appeared first on The Drinks Business.
The challenge for Alta Langa is to transform Italy’s first historic traditional method sparkling wine into a contemporary offering. How are producers responding? LM Archer reports.
The small Italian appellation of Alta Langa (meaning ‘High Langhe’), spans nearly 460ha across 149 villages within the provinces of Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo.
Deemed the birthplace of Italy’s first metodo classico wines, Alta Langa's sparkling production dates back to the 19th century, and according to Italian wine authority and writer Dr. Katarina Andersson began with Count Sambuy's family.
“However, it took off more with Carlo Gancia and his brother in the mid-19th century, when he returned from his trip to Reims, where he studied Champagne making more closely,” she says. Surviving wine caves built during this time, dubbed ‘underground cathedrals', earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2014.
Alta Langa achieved DOC status in 2002, followed by DOCG status in 2011.
Symbol of its territory
“Alta Langa is now recognised not only for its quality, but also as a symbol of its territory, with unique and identifiable characteristics,” says former president of the Alta Langa Consorzio, winemaker Giulio Bava of Giulio Cocchi.
Alongside Franciacorte and Trento DOC, “Alta Langa has become one of the three great Italian regions for traditional method sparkling wine, a must-have on wine lists and in Italian wine shops,” he notes.
Complexity, freshness, salinity, and longevity all characterise Alta Langa bubbles.
“Our region’s long tradition of producing metodo classico — dating back to 1865 — has fostered an abundance of winemakers and artisans who have mastered this method, along with all the elements needed to create exceptional sparkling wine,” confirms Nico Conta, president and CEO of Enrico Serafino in Canale d’Alba.
Rigorous regulations
Those elements include rigorous regulations. “Alta Langa is one of the most demanding sparkling wine appellations, requiring vines to be grown at a minimum of 250 metres (820 ft) above sea level, wines to be vintage-dated, and aged on lees for a minimum of 30 months,” says Conta.
“While these rules contribute to higher production costs, they ensure our wines consistently deliver exceptional quality and complexity.”
Indeed, time required from planting to disgorgement averages six years. Furthermore, producers may use only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Additionally, pressing yields must equal less than 65%. Dosage levels typically range between brut, extra brut, or pas dosé (brut nature). Styles include blanc de blancs, blanc de noir, and rosé.
The small Italian appellation of Alta Langa (meaning ‘High Langhe’), spans nearly 460ha across 149 villages within the provinces of Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo.
Deemed the birthplace of Italy’s first metodo classico wines, Alta Langa's sparkling production dates back to the 19th century, and according to Italian wine authority and writer Dr. Katarina Andersson began with Count Sambuy's family.
“However, it took off more with Carlo Gancia and his brother in the mid-19th century, when he returned from his trip to Reims, where he studied Champagne making more closely,” she says. Surviving wine caves built during this time, dubbed ‘underground cathedrals', earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2014.
Alta Langa achieved DOC status in 2002, followed by DOCG status in 2011.
Symbol of its territory
“Alta Langa is now recognised not only for its quality, but also as a symbol of its territory, with unique and identifiable characteristics,” says former president of the Alta Langa Consorzio, winemaker Giulio Bava of Giulio Cocchi.
Alongside Franciacorte and Trento DOC, “Alta Langa has become one of the three great Italian regions for traditional method sparkling wine, a must-have on wine lists and in Italian wine shops,” he notes.
Complexity, freshness, salinity, and longevity all characterise Alta Langa bubbles.
“Our region’s long tradition of producing metodo classico — dating back to 1865 — has fostered an abundance of winemakers and artisans who have mastered this method, along with all the elements needed to create exceptional sparkling wine,” confirms Nico Conta, president and CEO of Enrico Serafino in Canale d’Alba.
Rigorous regulations
Those elements include rigorous regulations. “Alta Langa is one of the most demanding sparkling wine appellations, requiring vines to be grown at a minimum of 250 metres (820 ft) above sea level, wines to be vintage-dated, and aged on lees for a minimum of 30 months,” says Conta.
“While these rules contribute to higher production costs, they ensure our wines consistently deliver exceptional quality and complexity.”
Indeed, time required from planting to disgorgement averages six years. Furthermore, producers may use only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Additionally, pressing yields must equal less than 65%. Dosage levels typically range between brut, extra brut, or pas dosé (brut nature). Styles include blanc de blancs, blanc de noir, and rosé.
Balance is key
Such rigour brings balance. “We strongly believe in [the] DOCG,” says Roberta Ceretto, co-founder of Monsignore in Vicoforte. “The dosage, in our short experience, has changed very little, because some vintages are brut, while others are extra brut. This is part of the unpredictability of the production. For us, the important point is the balance, and we work on it constantly.” Ceretto serves as cultural manager for her family’s eponymous brand in Alba. She and her husband, architect Giuseppe Blengini, founded Monsignore Alta Langa in 2010, with their first vintage release being 2017. “We tried to create something that could continue the story of his family home,” says Ceretto. “He is from the little village of Vicoforte, and his family has lived in this beautiful building, created by the bishop of Mondovì, in 1700.” Part of that story includes Alta Langa terroir. Follow the quality ”Alta Langa district is very wide and different,” continues Ceretto. “Where we are, we found all the characteristics we look for in a sparkling wine in terms of quality, soils rich in minerals, and position. The altitude (600m/1968 ft) helps with the temperatures, and gives cold nights and warm days, perfect for grapes.” Protecting this remarkable terroir with sustainable practices proves crucial. "Like all Italian DOC and DOCG wines, Alta Langa cannot impose organic farming protocols by law,” says Bava. “However, the region has a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture.” Thus, the Consorzio “prioritises certified organic and SQNPI (Italian National Quality System for Integrated Production) sustainable farms when granting new vineyard planting rights,” adds Bava. “As a result, the use of pesticides is carefully monitored, and herbicide application is limited to just a few producers.” Transforming tradition Innovation also underpins Alta Langa’s winning ways. For example, Enrico Serafino developed the region’s first assemblage wines. “Instead of growing our grapes in a single location, we selected 57 parcels, located in 16 different municipalities (villages) in the provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria,with various altitude levels, soil types and exposure," says Conta. Other novelties include the Perpetuelle Sbagliato method, or blending of multiple vintages, and Alta Langa’s first pas dosé. “The challenge for Alta Langa has been to transform Italy’s first historic traditional method sparkling wine,” concludes Bava, “into a contemporary designation.”"Since our founding in 1878, we have continuously experimented in the cellar and the vineyard to understand Alta Langa's full potential," says Conta. "We also distinctly name all our wines to help consumers select bottles that match their preferences and to precisely indicate what to expect from each bottle. For example, the Zero 140 Riserva is aged for at least 140 months on lees before being shipped without any addition of liqueur."
Ultimately, a compelling combination of tradition, terroir, and innovation assure Alta Langa’s bright future. 
