Verduno Pelaverga (or simply Verduno) is a red-wine DOC of Piedmont in north-western Italy. It was one of a raft of new DOCs created for Piedmont in the mid-1990s (others included Canavese, Albugnano and the sub-regional Monferrato and Langhe titles), designed to bring greater distinction and identity to Piedmont's lesser-known wines.
Verduno village, within whose boundaries almost all Verduno Pelaverga is made (parts of neighboring Roddi d'Alba and La Morra are also covered by the title), lies at the north-western edge of the Barolo DOCG. It is hardly surprising, then, that the commune's pale, delicate Pelaverga wines went unnoticed for so long; it would take an impressive wine to compete with the power of the Barolo name and the wine it represents.
Pelaverga is a rare, dark-skinned grape variety native to Piedmont. It produces pale, strawberry-scented wines similar to the very lightest Freisa or even Pinot Noir. It currently lays claim only to a tiny acreage, and even with its own dedicated DOC it seems unlikely that this will soon increase significantly. The only other DOC specifically using the Pelaverga grape is Colline Saluzzesi.
Verduno Pelaverga wines have the option of being labeled with the mention vigna. This is available only to wines made from vines more than seven years old, whose fruit will therefore be of more reliable quality. A slightly lower yield allowance is also imposed on wines bearing this term, again to ensure greater concentration of flavor and varietal character.
