Think Autumn, Think Piedmont – Wine From ‘the Foot Of The Mountain’

By nan clip this file comes out, it will beryllium Big Coat weather, truthful those collars will beryllium getting higher and nan scarves thicker. And, erstwhile there’s a chill successful nan air, I for illustration to eat nutrient than leans towards steaming and earthy flavours: charred vegetables, stews, sausages and mushroom everything.

For this type of cooking and living, I thin to move to north-west Italian reds, peculiarly those from Piedmont. You’ll find a scope of vino styles successful this region – Gavi di Gavi and moscato d’Asti are some made present – but there’s thing astir its reddish wines that I find helplessly alluring and seductive. The connection Piedmont intends “at nan ft of nan mountain”, a reference to its proximity to nan Alps, and its wines are of world renown, moreover though they dress up only a mini fraction (less than 5%) of Italy’s full production. Demand for them is high, truthful expect prices to commencement a small higher, excessively (apologies successful advance).

Nebbiolo is possibly Piedmont’s astir celebrated reddish grape, and it’s often compared to pinot noir connected relationship of it being likewise tricky to turn and its susceptibility to disease; it tin besides person a pinot-like lightness successful colour, pinch an expressive, analyzable nose. I’m very delicate to its smell of roseate petals, which look to jump retired of nan glass. Derived from nebbia, nan Italian connection for fog (perhaps owed to nan truth that, successful winter, especially, mist collects successful nan hills of Piedmont), nebbiolo makes up 100% of nan globally celebrated barolo and barbaresco wines.

You’ll besides find barbera, nan astir wide planted grape successful Piedmont, pinch immoderate of nan astir iconic examples recovered astir Asti and Alba. Barbera is conscionable arsenic tin of producing age-worthy, elegant and earthy wines, but moreover truthful you get a consciousness that it tends ever to play 2nd fiddle to nebbiolo. That said, that’s besides why barbera is often a adjacent spot cheaper.

The dolcetto grape is moreover much under-appreciated, but successful my book it offers conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic its 2 much lauded siblings. You’re much apt to find and portion dolcettos erstwhile they’re young, being debased successful some acerb and alcohol, because they’re not mostly considered arsenic age-worthy (though location are exceptions to each rule). Their finely meshed tannic building makes them a awesome nutrient match, though.

Speaking of nutrient matches, I asked Liam Colucci of Raeburn Fine Wines for advice, not slightest because he’s a) Italian and b) a person of a good vino BYOB. “Piemonte is blessed pinch cleanable hazelnuts, truffles and mushrooms, and it’s arsenic if nan section vino is made for specified dishes. For barolo, I emotion agnolotti pinch a guinea fowl filling, joined pinch caller ceps and a glossy condiment made from reduced stock. Barbera, meanwhile, pairs wonderfully pinch vitello tonnato – nan like-for-like acerb is electric.”

Four Piedmont reds to whet nan appetite

M&S Araldica Barbera d’Asti £9.50 Ocado, 14.5%. Oak adds herb and complements nan fruity cherry notes. Made by a winemaking cooperative successful nan Asti region that useful pinch 230 growers.

GD Vajra Dolcetto d’Alba £16 The Wine Society, 12%. A halfway of bluish consequence brings a graphite coolness.

Il Poeta Barolo £22 Laithwaites, 14%. For affordable barolo, you’ll struggle to do overmuch better. Perfumed and aromatic.

Cantina del Nebbiolo Nebbiolo d’Alba £14 Waitrose, 14.5%. Smoky, spicy, plummy – and cleanable for nan coming months; 100% nebbiolo from a winemaking cooperative.