2022 ランゲ・ビアンコ、ルイージ・オッデーロ

Langhe is an all-encompassing zone lying due south of Alba and the River Tanaro in the province of Cuneo. Barolo and Barbaresco both lie within its boundaries. Langhe is also the name of a regional DOC zone, which is used to classify wines made outside of the traditional Piemontese varietal scheme. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines from the region are, for example, classified as Langhe DOC.

One of the headline names of the region, the Oddero family has been producing wines from impressive vineyard holdings around Piedmont since 1878. Brothers Giacomo and Luigi Oddero grew the winery’s reputation as one of the Langhe’s most esteemed cantinas, amicably splitting the estate in 2006. Luigi passed away in 2009, having retained 32hc and many of the best vineyards, and the cantina is now run by his widow and children. Francesco Versio is the head winemaker here; hugely respected, he learnt his craft at Bruno Giacosa under Dante Scaglione before joining Figli Luigi Oddero in 2017.Now, there is new focus and a capable team in place. Francesco sees great opportunity here and maintains the ethos of this historical winemaking family, making traditional expressions with impressive technical judgement. The resulting wines are elegant and fine, with a vivid sense of origin.

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.