Piedmont

Outstanding savoury expression of Nebbiolo from the mountainous village of Carema, bordering Valle d'Aosta in north west Italy. Red fruit notes underpin the powerful but silky tannins and the long spicy finish is complex, rewarding and sensationally statuesque. A commanding wine.

Small is never a word to use when describing any wine made from the Nebbiolo grape variety but it does fit aptly for Carema DOC, one of the greatest wines to pass my lips so far this year. Not that it is small in taste or lacks for flavour (far from it) but the volumes made are minuscule compared to other regions. Only 55 thousand bottles are produced.
The producer is a quality focussed wine cooperative, which makes sense, given that Carema is a small village and the area can only produce limited volumes of Nebbiolo each year. Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema is renowned for producing excellent wines and this is an excellent example.

* Carema was one of first wines from Piedmont to attain Controlled Designation of Origin status when it was awarded DOC in July 1967.

Delicate but powerful full bodied red made from Nebbiolo grown in the mountains in north west Italy. This is a stunning wine made in small volumes and imported in even lower volumes. 

If you love Italian wines, this is a must buy.

It takes a fair bit of work to create a Pinot Grigio as complex, rewardingly delicious and layered as this one from the northern Italian wine region of the Veneto. Dry with intense flavours of lemon pith, red apples and hints of saltiness, this wine makes an outstanding match with salads and seafoods and is a great aperitif on its own. 

Hand picked grapes were gently pressed and given temperature controlled fermentation with wild yeast. The finished wine was aged for three months pre release. 

An outstanding Pinot Grigio.

100% Nebbiolo from the commune of Castiglione Falletto where the vines have an average age of between 35 to 50 years and grow at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres on calcareous marl soils facing south west. Vinification is in stainless steel and aging in traditional oak casks. 

Barbera is the juicy popular everyday red wine from Piemonte in north west Italy but it can also be complex, layered and succulently good, like this great example. Aromas of spice and fresh cedar lead into a full bodied, rewardingly interesting and smooth Italian red.

97 points Jeb Dunnuck

"From the southwest facing amphitheater of Lazzarito in Serralunga d’Alba the 2017 Barolo Lazzarito was aged for 30 months in a combination of large oak casks and barrique. The nose is layered with elegant spice and floral notes of cedar, red plum, and brushed leather. There is incredible balance within its structure, which has deceptive ease for early drinking. Hold 3-5 years or drink 2023-2046."

96 points James Suckling

"This is very chewy and powerful with lots of velvety tannins that are firm and intense. It’s full and flavorful with strawberries and tar. Bark undertones. Flavorful finish. Needs time to soften. Try after 2024."

95 points Vinous, Antonio Galloni

"Vietti's 2017 Barolo Lazzarito is absolutely gorgeous. Whatever the challenges of the growing season, they appear to have been no problem here. More than anything else, the Lazzarito impresses with its magnificent depth and stature. Super-ripe red fruit, white pepper, mint, tobacco, cured meat, spice and rose petal open gradually with time in the glass. I would not be in a rush to open bottles anytime soon. The Lazzarito has been one of the most improved wines at Vietti for a number of years. The 2017 is so captivating." Drink 2025 - 2042

The grapes are selected from the single vineyard Scarrone in Castiglione Falletto and spends 18 months between big oak barrels and barriques before being bottled unfiltered.

Ruby purple in colour with intense aromas of ripe red and black cherries, leading to a refreshing palate with high acidity, rich tannins, and a full body. Complex, integrated and with a long lingering finish.

Deeply rewarding Nebbiolo made from the Langhe hills in Piemonte, north west Italy. This is a richly fruited, dry wine with dark berries and cherry flavours leading into licorice notes. A lovely wine, new in store.

“A food friendly and organic wine, the 2019 Langhe Nebbiolo exhibits a medium dark color and concentration, which is a sign of this vintage that tended to produce very rich fruit. Cassis and cherry segue to black licorice and crushed stone. Fruit from this wine comes from various parts of the greater Bricco Boschis MGA.”
— 92 Points, Monica Larner, RobertParker.com

Beautiful commanding northern Italian white blend of Chardonnay and Arneis. This interesting combo of popular Chardonnay with the crisp white grape Arneis (indigenous to norther Italy) has present and power as well as citrusy flavours and appeal. A lovely bold dry white wine. Serve in your largest glasses to enjoy at its best. 

95/100 Wine Enthusiast, Kerin O'Keefe

"Underbrush, camphor, cedar and mature dark-skinned fruit aromas come to the forefront along with spicy notes. Full-bodied and firmly structured but also boasting a surprising weightlessness, the palate features dried cherry, steeped prune, licorice and tobacco set against a firm backbone of tightly knit, close-grained tannins. It's still youthfully austere so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2027?2037. " Drink 2027 - 2037

94+/100 Parker's wine Advocate, Monica Larner

"Considering the untimely passing of Renato Vacca in March of 2020, there is a lot of emotion coming back to this wine: It has always been an expression of Barbaresco nostalgia and romanticism, even when its creator was alive and well, working in these vines located directly under his family house. The Cantina del Pino 2017 Barbaresco Ovello bears his winemaking imprint with balance and elegance that never misses a beat. This vintage offers more density and concentration for sure, and the positioning of the Ovello cru overlooking the Tanaro River Valley sets the wine up for open-knit characteristics and suave softness. Those impressions are amplified in this vintage but are not overblown. Some 6,000 bottles were released and you get terrific value in this bottle. The wine is set to hit the market in September 2021." Drink 2023 - 2038

94/100 Vinous, Antonio Galloni

"The 2017 Barbaresco Ovello is a superb effort for the year. Bright, aromatic and effusive, the 2017 is so expressive right out of the bottle. It has the vintage 2017 power found in all the wines here, but also the cut and verve that make Ovello one of the most distinctive sites in all of Barbaresco. It is such a gorgeous wine." Drink 2025 - 2037

Winery notes  from 2019 Vintage

"Made of 100% Nebbiolo grapes grown in the hills overlooking Barbaresco, this wine delivers a delicate perfume reminiscent of dark cherry and black pepper with a hint of tobacco from a fine cigar. Elegant and fully ripe it has a wonderful structure and balance. Aged for two years in the oak and one year in the bottle, this wine is as good now as it will be aged for many years."

A rewarding, savoury and deliciously complex red blend of two great Italian red grapes - Barbera and Nebbiolo, which combine very happily in this juicy, earthy, sensationally complex and layered red. It is medium bodied, completely dry and rewardingly savoury, without any aspect of astringency. It's an outstanding wine at the price. 

Buy at least half a dozen. This is great. 

Arneis is a white grape varietal from the Piedmont region in Italy. This wine is tangy, dry and full-bodied. The nose is bright and floral with a fresh pear quality. The palate is rich with stone-fruit and a light nuttiness.

Punset are a certified organic winery from the Piedmont region in Italy. These wines champion sustainable agriculture and a hands-off, terroir driven approach to winemaking. This 100% Barbera wine is very fruit-forward, with great intensity and complexity. The palate is round and balanced, with great structure and fresh acidity.