Italy

A Nebbiolo from a DOC on the Piemontese side of the Val d’Aoste border, that I’d not come across before the POTG guys recommended …

Along with the de Poncins, this made up birthday dinner for Dad’s 69th, served with stewed duck, red wine, morilles and black pudding. And …

Overall, fairly good but a little disappointing – either faintly corked or overrated. Deep ruby, with a medium garnet rim. Medium+ intensity, slightly grubby …

The quality of winemaking that Planeta are renowned for comes through on this Fiano, yielding a quite complex, deep, but balanced wine that was …

Not a bad effort at a modern style Sangiovese, from a less known terroir than any in Tuscany. Perhaps a bit too much new …

Pieropan showing, like Inama, what quality Soave can achieve. Pretty rich fruit, but with a seam of minerally acidity underpinning it. The only criticism …

The 1998 was simpler and a little lighter. Most preferred to have the 1997 poured, after an initial side-by-side, but 2 or 3 went …

Served side-by-side with the 1998, with a tomato-based chicken main course, both showed Tuscan acidity and food affinity, but were distinctly different wines – …

Bussola’s ripasso method Valpolicella, and clearly a ‘serious’ version. But not so serious that it can’t be drunk without meditation. A good balance. Opened …

Had this with Princess and a crowd in POTG Bow Lane, at Paul’s choice. Another example of Marchesi di Grésy’s good work. A complex, …