Guidobono, Langhe Nebbiolo

This is a brilliant, classic and delicious red from one of Italy's most classic and brilliant regions, responsible for Barolo and Barbaresco and hundreds of years' worth of world-renowned reputations.

This juicy and supple Nebbiolo has smooth tannins and flavours of rose petals, strawberries and subtle spices, making it approachable and hugely enjoyable. Although it is classy and refined in its own right, it can't be helped that we end up thinking of it as a very good 'entry' to the grape variety and to the region.

Guidobono make wines from local varietes grown in the Roero valley, which is full of fertile, sandy soils with wonderful pockets of fossils and ancient pre-neolithc seabed matter. This gives grapes that are generous in volume and full of aromatic content, ripeness and structure. Situated right next to the famous communes of Barolo and Barbaresco, the Roero sub-zone allows for brighter, less-austere and expressive wines that act as a very warm welcome to the region of Piemonte.

The large region of the Langhe is home to three excellent grape varieties and depending on where you are situated, the wineries there will tend toward one of the three, or all in different plots and vineyards: it's a very varied landscape of microclimates and many differing vineyard aspects and soil types. The reason for the variety is necessity, because, even though it's Italy, this is the north of the country and it stays fairly cool for much of the year, meaning that vines often struggle to ripen as fully as neighbours further south. Add to this the famous fog that rises to cover lower parts of the valley during early autumn, and vineyards can find themselves in a real pickle trying to ripen fully. This means that further categorisation of grape varieties is required - some ripen early, before the fog arrives, while are planted where the fog doesn't reach, so can take their time ripening, with the winery safe in the knowledge that the fog won't interfere with their precious crops!

Of the three principal varieties - Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto - it is Nebbiolo that is most highly regarded, Barbera that is probably most planted and Dolcetto that is most neglected and misunderstood! The word Nebbiolo comes from the Italian word for Fog - nebbio - and it is this variety that is the one that takes time to ripen and has to be planted above the fog lines. It therefore gets the best sites and because of the length of time it takes to ripen, plus its naturally high level of flavour compounds, it can give wines of extraordinary depth, complexity and structure.

This is one of them!