The Langhe, Nebbiolo's hallowed ground that culminates in Barolo and Barbaresco, has a thirst for whites too. Until now it largely quenched this with Chardonnay (a notable 330 ha/815 acres is planted here), Sauvignon Blanc (39 ha/96 acres) and the occasional Viognier. These statistics show that these French interlopers are hardly unusual in Piemonte but they do illustrate an odd situation: the Langhe, which has successfully resisted the lure of international red varieties in its vineyards so far, fails to produce a truly local white that can stand alongside the mighty Nebbiolo. Those plantings of Chardonnay & Co merely confirm...