Piedmont



Valle Vento Barolo 2007, Piedmont (£14.99 Spar) Some will praise its old-fashioned, volatile, meaty style and rustic charm, others will dislike it for precisely the same reasons. It is a bit tired and consommé-like, but there’s still enough fragrant tar aroma, plum and citrus peel flavour and chewy tannin to […]

Wine Tasting Video: Italian reds from Piedmont & Tuscany


First Drop Wines ‘The Big Blend’ Nebbiolo/Barbera 2009, Adelaide Hills, Australia (£18.99 Secret Cellar, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Hanging Ditch, Harvey Nichols, The Sampler) The bold berry fruit verging on the jammy dodgers, the note of liquorice and the aromas of mint and eucalyptus betray its Aussie origins, and despite a […]

Wine Tasting Video: Three reds with northern Italian accents – ...



Contea di Castiglione Barolo 2005, Piedmont, Italy (£9.99 Morrisons) Light and gentle, with a slightly cooked character to the plum, cherry and red berry fruit, hints of rose petal and rusty iron, and a fresh but chewy finish. B(-) Marco Porello Nebbiolo d’Alba 2008, Piedmont, Italy (£11-12 imported by Winetraders […]

Barolo, Nebbiolo d’Alba and Nebbiolo d’Adelaide Hills


First things first. Don’t try this at home. On the assumption that you follow the Huckleberry Finn principle and do the opposite of what I suggest, let’s proceed. Am off to Spain tomorrow for a trip around Galicia – I’m expecting a version of Catalonia but with more in-breeding and […]

Blend your way out of a corner