he Pinerolese D.O.C. appellation includes two highly-prized, rare wines that have always been cherished by wine lovers and experts. These wines are produced in 32 municipalities located in the provinces of Turin and Cuneo, at the foot of the Alps.The first of these wines is Doux d'Henry, a red that has borrowed its name from the grape variety with which it is produced, and which is said to be in turn named after Henry IV, the King of France, who passed through this area - Val di Susa - in the early 1600s.
Doux d'Henry vines are grown in vineyards extending over a tiny area of 2.47 acres. The yearly production of this wine barely reaches the total of 5,000 bottles.
The second jewel of this precious family is called Ramie. It is only produced in the municipalities of Pomaretto and Perosa Argentina, where the vines grow on tiny little terraces along the cliffs of mountains overlooking these territories. The origin of its name is quite a bit of a mystery, but experts believe it might be a reference to the branches of trees ("rami" in Italian) that were cut down to make room for the vineyards. Contrary to Doux d'Henry, which is made with just one grape variety, several local varieties are used in the production of Ramie - namely, Avana', Avarengo and Neretto. Ramie too is produced in very limited quantities: there are only a little more than 3 acres of vineyards at Pomaretto and Perosa Argentina that produce a total of 7.5 tons of grapes a year.
Ramie has a deep ruby red color and a well-developed bouquet reminiscent of red berries and with a fine spicy note. It is a full-bodied, elegant wine.
