AN ANALYTICAL MAP OF BAROLO AND BARBARESCO TO INDICATE POTENTIALLY SUITABLE AREAS FOR PRODUCING THE TWO GREAT PIEDMONT WINES

The map indicates existing viticulture areas and uses objective parameters, such as altitude, morphology, texture, exposure and position of the territory to indicate potentially suitable areas for producing the two great Piedmont red wines.

The map of Barolo and Barbaresco is the first of its kind in Europe, presented in Alba, by Claudio Sacchetto, the Councilor for Agriculture of the Piedmont Region, together with the municipalities and territorial producers of Barolo and Barbaresco. The map was created because of the need to manage and plan land resources in the areas of Barolo and Barbaresco DOCG, which Councilor Sacchetto considers an opportunity for launching and promoting the producing municipalities: “The link between production and product,” says Councilor Sacchetto, “is definitely, in a market that tends towards globalization and mass production, synonymous with excellence and defends the wealth and knowledge of the product. Maintaining the heritage of the territory is one of the elements that allows quality production to win challenges coming from other markets”.

This could prove very useful in the future to revise or update the potential of the territory. Moreover, in preparation of the possible liberalization of planting rights, it would indicate the areas where planting new vineyards would be an unwise choice. The project is not limited to this area: once it is shown to be viable, the Region could consider adopting it for other areas in Piedmont.

There is another aspect that is closely related to consumers: does this kind of map, then, basically represent the identification of real crus? Or will the market continue to decide the hierarchies in the world of Barolo and Barbaresco? And what about the Consortiums? Right now, they just want to observe, but in the future they may be interested in the project...