Forty years after having to sell the prized vineyard to her uncle, Ester Rosso (nato Canale) is now once again able to walk among and work the very Nebbiolo vines she played between as a child. On page 218 in Slow Food’s ‘A Wine Atlas of the Langhe’ (2008 edition) is written: ‘If you ask […]

It’s very simple: everyone’s heard of Barolo and Barbaresco but few realise that the grape behind these two wine styles is Nebbiolo. And that when you plant, harvest, vinify and age Nebbiolo grape to be made as ‘Langhe Nebbiolo’ or ‘Nebbiolo d’Alba’ DOC, you’ll quite likely to be treated to a great value, perfumed early […]

You’ve got to laugh at my lamentable linguistic skills as I struggle to piece together a sentence in French; each one originally decorated with Italian! I thank my friends in the region of Berry (no relations sadly) for being so patient! Sit back and squirm as I interview Messrs. Sautereau, Cailbourdin and Dezat…

There’s been quite a lot to stomach of late, and I’m not just referring to the festive roll of cotechino e lenticchie (sausage and lentils), cappone (capon), marron glaces, and panettone. No, at the turn it’s perhaps worth reflecting on what’s been served up wine wise from Italia over the past 12 months, and what’s […]