“Piemonte is a jewel, not just of Italy but of the entire wine world.” Located in northwest Italy, the region sits at the foot of the western Alps, lending it two unique key features that influence its climate: the cool mountains and the balmy Mediterranean. These forces contribute wide day-to-night temperature variation, known as diurnal shifts. The cold nights, foggy mornings and sunlit days are all ingredients that combine to make world-class bottlings. Pied-mont. Or Piemonte. Whichever way you say it: hard two-syllable, American-style or with the romantic three syllable lilt of an Italian, the word carries mystical qualities. It conjures visions of fog-shrouded hills, white truffle-sniffing dogs and noble wines. Most wine lovers associate the region with the famous reds of Barolo, but as anyone who has visited knows, it’s large, complex and full of surprises.