Italy's northwestern region of Piedmont has just been ranked the second-best wine region in Europe for 2027 by European Best Destinations, scoring 18.8 out of 20 on the Wine Region Score and 9.7 out of 10 for the Wine Excellence Experience Index. The honour went to the Langhe–Roero and Monferrato vineyard landscapes, which are already UNESCO World Heritage-listed. Top spot overall went to Slovenia's Stajerska Slovenija, while Tuscany's famous Chianti Rufina landed only fifth, behind Ribeira Sacra in Spain and Kamptal in Austria. For anyone who thought Tuscany had a monopoly on Italian wine country, this is your nudge north.
The wines are the headline act: Barolo is the king here, but Barbaresco, Barbera and Nebbiolo reds are all worth serious attention. What keeps visitors returning, though, is the combination – rolling hills, snow-capped mountains in the distance, historic villages and castles to explore, plus truffle hunts in season. Many travellers pair the wine country with a city break in Turin, one of Italy's most underrated urban destinations and an easy gateway to the vineyards.
Base yourself well and the region works beautifully as a road trip. Borgo Monchiero is a standout option: a restored 18th-century monastery with a church dating to 1752, an outdoor pool, a restaurant and wide views over the hills.
Eating is as much of a draw as drinking. Drogheria di Langa serves the Piedmontese classics – tajarin (thin egg pasta ribbons), agnolotti del plin (pinched pasta parcels), fassona tartare and vitello tonnato – and runs pasta-making classes. For a splurge, La Rei Natura holds three Michelin stars under chef Michelangelo Mammoliti, who grows much of the restaurant's produce in its own garden; the Tita's Spaghetti, based on a family recipe, is the dish regulars rave about. For a low-key evening, Vineria Sociale in the hilltop village of La Morra pours natural wines on a terrace overlooking the Church of San Martino, with local cured meats, cheeses and vitello tonnato alongside.
Winery visits are plentiful, from casual tastings to historic cellar tours. Poderi Luigi Einaudi in Dogliani, founded in 1897, has a striking underground winery and pours Barolo and Nebbiolo. Nearby in Roero, family-run Cascina Chicco has a 5,000-square-metre cellar carved 28 metres beneath the hill, with tastings of its Roero reds and whites. Book ahead for both – guided visits fill up.
Why it matters: this is one of Europe's great wine regions without the crowds or price tags of Chianti, and the ranking suggests that won't last forever. It suits wine lovers, slow-food enthusiasts and anyone after a countryside road trip with real food culture – best taken between a Turin city break and a truffle season in autumn.
