Alta Langa may produce Italy’s most understated sparkling wine. 90% of it stays in Italy. Locals drink it, producers protect it, and only a small amount is exported. It’s often cited as the birth of Italy’s first Metodo Classico (champagne method).

In the glass, the steady stream of small bubbles brings up aromas of green apples, lime zest, French butter, fresh bread, aromatic herbs, and acacia blossom. On the palate, there’s a remarkable minerality from the limestone and sandstone soils at 410 meters elevation. The mousse is tight, prickly, and each sip is clean and precise. The extended aging provides depth and complexity, and the bright acidity leads to the long finish. An impressive, refined, and elegant sparkler that drinks well above its value.

Excellent on its own as an aperitif, but especially good with shellfish, raw fish, and simple seafood. Fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and mild goat cheese on their own or with a lightly dressed salad.

Five generations of Gallianos have farmed this land since 1850. In the early 1980s, Dr. Corino from the Experimental Institute for Viticulture in Asti saw potential in the unique climate and soils for traditional method sparklers. He challenged Giuseppe and his son Carlo to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Carlo took the challenge and became the first producer of metodo-classico wine in Piedmont. Borgo Maragliano is in the heart of Alta Langa, where steep slopes and high elevations create ideal conditions for sparkling wine. Today Carlo runs the estate with his wife Silvia and their three sons Giovanni, Francesco (namesake of this wine), and Federico. They farm sustainably and purposely keep their yields low, at roughly half the yield of most Champagne producers, to produce the best quality fruit for these wines.