Two Piedmont classics: Nizza Barbera and Moscato d’Asti (#WorldWineTravel)

Historic towns dating back to Roman times, gently rolling hillsides covered in grapevines, high-quality wines. Italy’s Piedmont region certainly is alluring, right?

A visit to Coppo Wine Cellars would be a highlight of any trip to northern Italy. Established in Canelli (Asti), in 1892, the winery boasts underground cellars carved deep into the soft tufa rock and 128 acres of vineyards. Their wines include Piedmontese classic varieties such as Barbera, Chardonnay and Moscato. In 2021, family-owned Coppo became part of the Lanci group of companies.

The World Wine Travel bloggers were lucky enough to receive a couple bottles of Coppo wines to sample. Big thanks go to Jeff @foodwineclick for arranging this special event. A full of list of participating bloggers can be found at the end of this post.

Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.

A UNESCO World Heritage site

Dating back to the 16th century, Coppo’s cellars extend over 54,000 square feet and reach underground to a depth of over 130 feet. These cellars (or cathedrals, as they’re called) have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Originally used to store the region’s sparkling wines, they now house Coppo’s barrels of aging wine. Visitors are welcome!

Sustainability practices

The Coppo team has incorporated organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming practices into their winemaking. They plant a variety of cover crops that help to promote beneficial insect activity. These crops are composted back into the soil. Instead of spraying chemical insecticides in the vineyard, Coppo’s workers use pheromone positioning as a way of confusing insects and protecting the vines. Coppo is also certified as an Integrated Crop Management National Quality System (SQNPI) vineyard. This certification aims to promote sustainable agricultural practices, reduce the environmental impact of production and ensure quality.

Renovations underway

In 2022, the Coppo team embarked on an ambitious renovation project. They are in the process of expanding the tasting room and restoring two historic buildings – a 17^th century manor house and a 20^th century silkworm farm – that will become their new wine shop and offices. The project is expected to wrap up in 2025.  They are also incorporating a new bottling plant into this renovation, including an end-of-line palletizing system, which, they say, will allow for water recovery and energy-efficient plant management.

2021 Coppo Pomorosso, Nizza DOCG
100% Barbera

Pomorosso is Coppo’s flagship wine. Grapes are sourced from the most highly regarded vineyards in Nizza, a hilly area south of Asti, where the soil is calcareous clay marl with traces of gypsum, iron and a “modest amount” of calcium carbonate. This wine spends 14 months in oak barrels. According to Coppo, the goal of Nizza DOCG (Italy’s highest-quality denomination) is to elevate Barbera the way Barolo does for Nebbiolo.

My tasting notes: Deep ruby red in color. Complex and not yet fully developed. Nose is ripe with cherry, black cherry and dried cranberry aromas with hints of violet and eucalyptus. Palate is jammy and spicy with a hint of earth and that characteristic high acidity found in Barbera. Right now, the 16.5% alcohol dominates, but with time (three to five years), the wine should mellow and no doubt will be delicious. Price: $69.

The pairing: Since I no longer cook red meat, I was at a loss for how to create a suitable match for this powerful Nizza Barbera. The wine overpowered two braised chicken dishes that I served on successive days – chicken with mushrooms and savory balsamic chicken. To my surprise, on day #3 of pairing this wine, the packaged butternut squash ravioli and bottled marinara sauce were a hit! The ricotta cheese and nutmeg in the ravioli helped this pairing, but I mostly credit success to the acidity in the marinara sauce.

2023 Coppo Moncalvina Moscato d’Asti DOCG
100% Moscato Bianco

Moscato is old, old, old! Another of Coppo’s signature grapes, this white variety has been cultivated since the 13^th century in the hilly Canelli subregion. The calcerous marl (clay and silt) soil of this area is known for imparting minerality to wines. To produce Moscato d’Asti, grapes first are soft pressed and then slowly ferment in stainless steel tanks, at controlled temperature, until the alcohol level reaches a scant 5%. This process captures carbon dioxide and results in a sweet, slightly fizzy wine.

My tasting notes: Pale straw in color. Plenty of ripe apricot and peach on the nose with some fresh white flowers. Peachy honey-lemon on the palate. Medium+ acidity to balance the sweetness. Bright, light and delightful. Price: $19.

The pairing: For this wine tasting, we nibbled on goat cheese on pita crackers, hummus on pumpkin and dried fruit crackers, blackberries and raspberries with whipped cream, almonds and buttery cookies. Desserts are an obvious choice for a sweet wine like this one, but I preferred the tart goat cheese and the slightly sweet pumpkin crackers. Or simply sip the wine by itself!

Check out all the posts on Coppo wines:

• Camilla from Culinary Cam says “Let’s Talk About Cortese and Barbera Grapes: Two Wines from the Historical Underground Wine Cellars of Coppo + Pairings”
• David from Cooking Chat shares “Pairings for Coppo Barbera and Moscato d’Asti “
• Payal from Keep the Peas shares “Coppo Winery 2023 Chardonnay ‘Costebianche’ x Vegetarian Punjabi Food”
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass shares “Two Piedmont classics: Nizza Barbera and Moscato d’Asti “
• Jennifer from Vino Travels shares “The Historic Coppo winery of Piedmont and their UNESCO underground wine cellars”
• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles reports on “Tunnels and Tufa – The Underground Cathedrals and Coppo Cellars”
• Terri at Our Good Life shares “Pairings with Nizza Barbera and Coppo Monteriolo Chardonnay”
• Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog shares “Historic Wines, Timeless Pairings: Coppo’s Nizza Barbera and Barolo with Wild Mushroom Risotto”
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “From Coppo’s UNESCO Cellars: Nizza and Gavi Paired with Shrimp Ceasar and Duck with Winter Squash Gratin”
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares “Chardonnay From One of the Oldest Family-Run Wineries in Italy – Coppo“
• Susannah from Avvinare shares “Coppo Shows Piedmont’s Diversity“
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Dinner with Coppo Wine Cellars Flagship ‘Pomorosso’ Nizza Barbera”