Wine Region: Piedmont

(2026) Even after all these years I can still come across grape varieties new to me; in this case, Langhe speciality Bianver. The wine, from sandy and clay soils is fermented with wild yeasts and stays on its lees, in steel, for seven months with regular bâtonnage. There's a lot of colour this when poured, a deep yellow heading to gold. The nose is creamy, with perhaps just a hint of nutty oxidation. I am not sure whether that is the style, or a product of this small sample bottle. The palate has plenty of weight and rolling texture, the fruit somewhere between nutty, honeyed character and quite a luscious nectarine ripeness. A fascinating and niche wine of great interest.

(2026) Only 1500 bottles are produced of this wine, made from a 15-year-old, west-facing Barbera vineyard on sandy clay. After spontaneous fermentation the wine is matured for nine months in two-year-old old barrels; barriques and larger tonneaux. Dark crimson with some light on the rim, this is succulent and laced with vanilla over Morello cherry. In the mouth what a beautifully balanced wine, the harmonious combination of that cherry flesh sweetness, a little bittersweet plum and cocoa, and crisply defining acidity. Medium-bodied, it is both fresh and elegant, and has plenty of approachable fruit.

(2026) As it pours this is not red, but a distinctly golden-amber. Produced from the same base white wines and following the same fortification and aromatisation process, the aromats are clearly a little different. I guess this must have seem time in barrel, though it may take its colour from caramel? There are spicier, clove and cinnamon notes and toffee in the background. Green herbs do come through. In the mouth this is a very smooth Vermouth - sippable on its own for me - with plenty of warming spice, coffee and fudge that is sweet and warming. Again, Negroni or Manhattan springs to mind, or just a dash of soda.

(2026) Strucchi Bianco's base is white wine, fortified and flavoured with wormwood, thyme and sage as well as a touch of vanilla. The sage and thyme, stalky green herb character comes through most powerfully on the nose. Plenty of personality here, with lovely sweetness in the mouth. Here the vanilla with some baked pear flavours dominate, but the more complex herbal aromas do re-emerge, and the keen limey acidity gives plenty of freshening bite. Serving suggestionss: white Negroni or simply top with soda and lemon peel.

(2025) From and estate in Piedmont that farms some of the region's steepest vineyards, this is 100% Moscato in a half bottle size. Harvested around one month later than normal, and with a portion of grapes dried on rush mats where they lose 40% of fruit weight through evaporation, it is luscious and combines barley sugar and orange aromas, with Moscato's distinct floral element. 12 months ageing in small oak barrels has rounded out the creaminess on the palate, where this sweet wine retains enough bright acidity to balance nicely. There aren't many sub-£10 wines around made with this complexity of process.

(2025) From vineyards at 300-380 metres in Monforte d'Alba, this was aged in large oak barrels. Similar in colour to the 2017 Millenovecento48, but a little more fruit-forward with pulpy summer berries and creaminess. There is spice and cedar, and again a little herbal note. In the mouth the youthful sweetness of the fruit is lovely, quite lacy and delicate in the red fruit spectrum, but again with a fine sense of precision, the 14.5% alcohol sitting lightly against a gentle background of tannin and cherry-ripe acidity. No UK stockists at time of review.

(2025) From a vineyard planted in 1948, this is pale in colour, cherry red just touching into amber-pink on rim. Lovely, gentle development with autumnal notes of dried leaves, light tobacco and small berry fruits. Hints of something floral and herbal too. In the mouth it both firm, from its spine of elegant tannin, touch of spice and precise acidity, and yet soft and open: red berries and cherry again (which builds after a few hours in a decanter) and something a little like Seville orange. Long, the finish is on spice and acidity for a cleansing, gastronomic style. No UK stockists at time of review.

(2025) A full and rich style of Sauvignon, more about citrus and minerality than anything overtly tropical or herbaceous. A hint of lemongrass on the nose and some background peach, then the palate develops quite a juicy, lime and pulpy stone fruits character, with a solid core of citrus and salts acidity that gives some grip and seriousness.

(2025) Chardonnay from vineyards in the Asti region of Piedmont is not something you come across every day, that area famed more for Moscato and Nebbiolo. From a 15-year-old vineyard 250 metres above sea level, soils are lime-rich marl over clay. It is unoaked, but spends several months on the lees in tank. Lemon yellow in colour, I found it to be very attractive with a soft buttery quality to peach and ripe melon, a nutty undertow too. In the mouth it is quite full and generous, with a creamy feel that is sliced through by a distinctly salty, mineral finish. There's a Chablis-like cut to this, the quite fleshy mid-palate finishing with clarity and mouth-watering zest.

(2025) The vineyards for this cuvee are 25 to 35 years old, planted at 250 metres on white marl and clay. Made in stainless steel. Quite a delicate crimson/cerise colour, plenty of charming, supple red fruits on the nose, raspberry and redcurrant, and a wisp of something like olive in the background. In the mouth the tannins are soft and acidity gentle, that allows the charm offensive to continue, all sorts of warming spices wrapped around those generous red fruits for a lovely, easy drinking Barbera and obvious pizza/pasta basher too. No UK retail stockists at time of review.