Piemonte and North West Italy

This is the heartland of Italian gastronomy and the Piemonte and north west Italian wines are simply perfect accompaniments to the great dishes such as tagliatelle with white truffle or beef braised in Barolo. The hot, dry summers and cold, foggy winters are ideal conditions for growing grapes such as Nebbiolo and Barbera which, when in the hands of craftsmen like Mauro Mascarello, are turned into little gems that should be included in every cellar. Piemonte and north west Italian wines are never easy to understand with the bright acidity and lean fruit (by new world standards), yet when partnered with the right foods these become majestic offerings of great complexity and depth that are unrivalled in the rest of the world.