Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 'Rabaja' 2015

Arguably the greatest wine region in Italy, Piemonte provides a heady confluence of wine, food and scenery that many other regions can only aspire too. Picture autumn, deep in white truffle season, the still snow-capped mountains frame the rolling hills dotted with quaint township slowly appearing out of the regions famous ‘Nebbia’, the fog after which the regions most famous grape variety is named. We speak of course of Nebbiolo, which reaches its apex in the stellar Piemonte regions of Barolo and Barbaresco and provides great value elsewhere across the great Langhe. From the floral, frizzante Moscato d’Asti through to stunning savoury wines of Gavi, Roero Arneis and Favorita (the local term for Vermentino), the white varieties are covered admirably. Barbera and Dolcetto compete with Nebbiolo for attention the reds and provide superb drinking and lesser known varieties such as Freisa and the ethereal Pelaverga can be stunning in the right hands. But Barolo and Barbaresco rule the roost, with superbly perfumed red wines that cellar for decades. Top producers to look for include Gaja, Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Guiseppe Mascarello, Guiseppe Rinaldi, Vietti, Bruno Giacosa, Massolino, G.B. Burlotto, Vajra, and Paolo Scavino. Local Knowledge: When choosing Barolos, producer is key but our pick of the top six Barolo vineyards are: Brunate, Cerequio, Rocche di Castiglione, Monprivato, Rocche dell’Annunziata and Vigna Rionda, closely followed by Francia and Villero.