Mrs. Wine Guy and I just got back from tasting wine in the Piedmont region of Italy (North West Italy).  Beautiful part of the world with outstanding wine  They are known for Nebbiolo especially from Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbara, Dolcetto, and Moscato D'Asti.  If you get a chance go you will not regret it. Three things I learned: #1: Not all Barolo is created equal. There are 11 sub-regions in Barolo.  Four of them (Cherasco, Verduno, Roddi and La Morra) have primarily sandy soil.  These tend to be aged in large neutral barrels so oak is not as apparent. Barolo from this area is fruitier, less tannic, and less complex than other sub-regions.   These are the areas that traditionalists believe produce the most accurate expression of what Barolo should be. Another two sub-regions, Barolo and Novello, are grown in soil that is a combination of clay and sand. They provide a more balance between fruit and tannin and are more complex than the wines grown in only sandy soil.