Think autumn, think Piedmont wine from the foot of the mountain'

"For this type of cooking and living, I tend to turn to north-west Italian reds, particularly those from Piedmont. You'll find a range of wine styles in this region Gavi di Gavi and moscato d'Asti are both made here but there's something about its red wines that I find helplessly alluring and seductive. The word Piedmont means at the foot of the mountain, a reference to its proximity to the Alps, and its wines are of international renown,"

"Demand for them is high, so expect prices to start a little higher, too (apologies in advance). Nebbiolo is perhaps Piedmont's most famous red grape, and it's often compared to pinot noir on account of it being similarly tricky to grow and its susceptibility to disease; it can also possess a pinot-like lightness in colour, with an expressive, complex nose. I'm very sensitive to its smell of rose petals, which seem to jump out of the glass."

Chilly weather and smoky, earthy dishes pair naturally with north-west Italian red wines from Piedmont. Piedmont sits at the foot of the Alps and produces internationally renowned wines while accounting for less than 5% of Italy's output. Nebbiolo, a difficult, disease‑susceptible grape, can show pinot‑like light colour and a complex, floral nose of rose petals; it constitutes 100% of Barolo and Barbaresco. Barbera is the region's most widely planted grape, prominent around Asti and Alba, capable of elegant, age‑worthy wines but often less costly than nebbiolo. High demand contributes to generally higher prices.

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