Grape grower Natale Seghesio is known as 'il Poeta' ('the Poet') to his friends. Not only for his lyrical compositions (featured on the label), but also for the intensely flavoured produce of his vines, growing in the premium Piedmont hills. Talented winemaker Paolo Sartirano snaps up Natale's grapes every year, taking them to his family's cellar. Founded in 1871, this cellar is now 150 years old and today in the hands of the fourth generation. Paolo has crafted Il Poeta to be a truly poetical expression of the finest Nebbiolo. Three years ageing in oak ensures the fruit marries perfectly with silky, toasted spice character. Deeply flavoured and complex, the wine is best opened early and decanted. Serve in large glasses with hearty dishes.

Boroli Barolo Classico is the estate’s benchmark Barolo, a traditional blend of their best Nebbiolo vineyards in Castiglione Falletto, capturing the commune’s mix of structure and fragrance in one bottle. East-, west- and south-west-facing clay-limestone parcels with touches of sand are harvested by hand in mid-October, then divided into micro-parcels so each plot is fermented and aged separately before blending. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with 10–12 days on skins and a further 20–25 days of submerged-cap maceration, followed by at least 18 months in large Slavonian oak and a year in bottle before release, giving a supple but ageworthy frame. In the glass, recent vintages show bright red colour, scents of fresh wild berries, rose, sweet liquorice and gentle spice, with velvety tannins, good line and a harmonious, savoury finish – a classic, “all-round” Barolo that drinks well in its first decade yet has the stuffing to go further in a good cellar.

ANTONIOTTI ODILIO, Bramaterra, Piemonte, Italy Today Odilio and his son Mattia work the vines, yet the Antoniotti family have been making wine in Casa del Bosco (west of Milan) in northern Piemonte for generations. The Antoniotti Bramaterra Nebbiolo blend is a fresh and attractive Piemonte red. With aromas of predominantly red fruits, herbs and spicy notes on the nose, this wine has a moreish mouth-coating quality with delicate tannins and a lengthy finish. An elegant and juicy wine of immense quality, especially at such a great price.

Orlando Abrigo Montersino Barbaresco DOCG Ruby red in colour with a rich, complex bouquet of vanilla and red fruit. At first, this wine is smooth on the palate; then robust tannins take over revealing excellent ageing potential. A true food wine, it will pair wonderfully with beef or hearty pasta dishes. The fruit for this Barbaresco (100% Nebbiolo) is sourced from the Montersino Me. GA (Italian equivalent of a French Cru) lies in the village of Treiso, where the elevations are the highest in the area. This plot of land produces exuberant, easy-drinking Barbarescos which are full-bodied and consistently show fine, silky tannins.

Today Odilio and his son Mattia work the vines, yet the Antoniotti family have been making wine in Casa del Bosco (west of Milan) in northern Piemonte for generations. The Antoniotti Bramaterra Nebbiolo blend is a fresh and attractive Piemonte red. With aromas of predominantly red fruits, herbs and spicy notes on the nose, this wine has a moreish mouth-coating quality with delicate tannins and a lengthy finish. An elegant and juicy wine of immense quality, especially at such a great price.

A wine that pours into the glass with a garnet red colour with orange highlights. The bouquet is typical of the vine, and is in fact characterized by hints of licorice, amalgamated with aromas of red fruits, spicy hints and notes of toasted caramel. In the mouth it has a good structure, a balanced full-bodied wine with an irobust texture to be savoured. A seductive and elegant red which, thanks to well-orchestrated tannins, becomes an excellent wine to pair with red meat dishes and well-aged cheese platters.

The Barolo embarks on a rather straightforward performance initially, and the wine gains in complexity as it opens in the glass. The bouquet is elegant and tapered with wild berry, spice and licorice. It is ample in terms of mouthfeel, delivering medium texture and depth. Classic and elegant are two appropriate descriptors. ‘Alessandria's Barolo is gorgeous. Sweet dark cherry, kirsch, cinnamon, rose petal, mint and orange peel lead into a core of soft, open-knit fruit. Silky tannins and soft contours add to its overall appeal. The aromatics alone are beguiling, but it is the wine's overall balance that is most impressive of all.’ - Antonio Galloni.