Itinerary: Candia Canavese, Caluso, Mazzé, Montalenghe
Erbaluce: a great white wine from Canavese area in Piedmont
Canavese is a geographic area in Piedmont that extends from the north of Turin to the border of Aosta Valley, and whose main city is Ivrea. The area is cut by the Dora Baltea river, and it features lots of valleys, mountains, glacial lakes, and countless natural parks and reserves. Thanks to its lively history, which goes from the Prehistoric Age until today, the area is also rich in cultural and artistic treasures, such as a great number of castles, churches, and traditional events.
Canavese is especially known for its gentle hills and fields that produce lots of wine and food delicacies. Among them, Erbaluce, an excellent white wine, whose production is authorized in all the provinces of Turin, Biella, and Vercelli, even though the main production center is the small town of Caluso, right in the southern part of the Canavese area. Thanks to its importance and its organoleptic characteristics, Erbaluce gained the DOCG certification in 2010, which is the highest certification a wine can get in Italy.
Due to the ancient wine-producing traditions that are passed between generations in Canavese, Erbaluce is a great dry white wine, with a straw-yellow color, a fresh flavor, and an unforgettable aroma that recalls the scent of wildflowers.
This wine, which has been known since 1606, is best appreciated as an "aperitivo" (aperitif) or when it is served with appetizers and fish-based dishes.
The amazing grapes used for Erbaluce wine (pic n°3) are also used to produce two other versions of Erbaluce: Erbaluce Spumante (sparkling wine) and Erbaluce Passito (sweet wine): something unique!
In Canavese area, you can also visit some beautiful villages:
- Caluso, where Erbaluce is produced;
- Mazzé, located just 6 kilometers away with a beautiful castle;
- Montalenghe, 9.5 kilometers from Caluso, with a castle called Castelvecchio and two beautiful churches: Church of Saint Peter and Church of Beata Vergine delle Grazie.
- Candia Canavese, the lake Candia (pic n°1) surrounded by the Morainic hills;
- Agliè (not far from Montalenghe), the Castle of Agliè, designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte (pic n°2) with three hundred rooms. It was the summer residence of the royal family Savoia;