Gattinara is a DOCG (as of 1990) located in the north of Piedmont, some 50 miles northeast of Turin. The wines are made from Nebbiolo, though producers can include as much as ten percent of Bonarda in the blend. This is, along with Carema, the coolest-climate region within Piedmont for Nebbiolo. At one point the wines even had a better reputation than those produced in Barolo, but the climate is much more variable.

Stony, volcanic soils contribute to the ripening and in warmer years Gattinara can be a hauntingly perfumed wine with a lighter, more-accessible structure than Barolo. It is widely described as Piedmont's "most feminine" expression of the grape. Many examples are exported, and a wine from a well chosen producer in a good vintage can provide excellent value vis-a-vis Barolo. (Wine/Appellations)