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grape quality sacrificing quantity and bunches are selectively thinned in July and August allowing the remaining grapes to ripen in the best possible way. Useless to say that La Morra area is nearby Alba and this red wine quarter is favorable for Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo Langhe and Barolo. Harvest starts when the grapes are perfectly ripe. Dolcetto is an early ripening variety and is aged in steel vats (to preserve the inherent fruitiness) and then bottled the following summer, when the weather is hot. Barbera is the second variety harvested and then - last and always considered the almighty king - it is Nebbiolo's turn, a super late ripening variety. BEAUTIFUL LANGHE: Langhe is the hilly fertile sub-region east of the Tanaro river and south of Alba, in the Cuneo province at altitudes of between 450 and 800 metres. Barolo and Barbaresco both lie within its boundaries. The name 'Langhe' is the plural form of langa, a local word for a long, low-lying hill. These hills can be geologically considered as an extension of the Northern Apennines. The soil consists mainly of marl, clay, limestone and sandstone which can easily be eroded and through which the waters have carved a tight network of valleys of varying width. The high number of grape varieties cultivated is justified by these complex pedo- climatic conditions. Langhe is also the name of a regional DOC zone, which is used to classify wines made outside of the traditional Piemontese varietal scheme (Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cortese, etc). Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines from the region are, for example, classified as Langhe DOC. Unlike Nebbiolo d'Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo (established in 1994) can be cut with 15% other red indigenous varieties, such as Barbera or Dolcetto. Leading, quality producers of Barolo and Barbaresco are more inclined to use 100% Nebbiolo, recognizing its role as a stepping stone, usually using the fruit from vines that are very young and capable to produce more accessible Nebbiolos. HAZELNUTS: The Stroppianas have a long established tradition in the hazelnuts production having decided in the past to dedicate the best exposed areas for this crop with roughly 14 hectares planted. The area is destined to expand over the next few years. Overall the crop combination timing is just perfect because the operations in the vineyards and in the hazelnut groves usually alternate. Only rarely have the hazelnut and Dolcetto harvests overlapped. The variety of hazelnut cultivated in Piedmont is the Tonda Gentile Trilobata, whose production is located in the heart of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria provinces, more specifically in the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato hills. The special characteristics of this variety include the nut's roundness which facilitates quick mechanical shelling without damaging the kernel. Its' thin shell offers a high shelled product yield of between 46 and 50%. The Tonda Gentile Tribolata is very aromatic with a limited fat content, ensuring successful storage without rancidity. DOLCETTO: The grape origin is not entirely certain. There are those who argue that this grape is genetically from the Langhe, while there is a second party which argues that its origin has to be tracked in Liguria, where it is known with the name Ormeasco. In both cases, it is assumed that Dolcetto has arrived, in either area, during the medieval period due to commercial trades. The earliest records on "uva Dolcetto" date back to 1700 and currently this variety is used in Piedmont for the production of several monovarietal wines under the registered designation of origin DOC and DOCG system). Among these appellations, certainly Dolcetto d'Alba is the most widely known and consumes have spread beyond the confines of Piedmont in the new millennium. Dolcetto d'Alba is

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