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Piemonte is simply one of the best wine regions of the world. Amongst wine lovers, it is famous and revered for its Barolo and Barbaresco as it is infamous and pilloried for its bulk produced Asti Spumante. Its wine growing territory covers a huge swathe of land from the Collinese foothills near the Italian Alps stretching down past Turin as far as Gavi, only 50km from the Genoa coast. However its heart, without question are the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato areas, which make up not only the bulk of Piemonte's wine production - but also its best.

The winelands of Piemonte have some communalities with the Burgundy region. Here, you will find lots of little wine estates, with many of the best fields carved up into impossibly tiny parcels - hence why so many producers are able to boast the same top crus. Also, the wine producers are in general agreement that the best wines of this area are made from single grape types - blended wines are in the minority here.

With such a straightforward no-nonsense approach to wine-making, you would think that getting to grips with Piemonte would be simple. Not so. It is hugely diverse and downright confusing, even for the Italians. There is nowhere else in the world with such a variety of grapes or producers - there are more than 50 wines with a DOC or DOCG rating alone. And when you add this to the already complicated picture, the fact that the producers are individualists with their own strong views on how to grow and produce their wines, well you end up with a lifetime of tastings ahead of you.

For serious wine lovers, Piemonte means just one thing - Nebbiolo, whcih produces the complex, rich pinot noir styled tannic wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. But, to come to this region and try only one type of grape is to miss out on more than 95% of the area's wines. Piemonte has wines for every season and every occasion and prides itself for producing wines that, more often than not, are enhanced by food - particularly the local dishes. From the gourmet night highs of white truffle pasta with Barolo to a humble plate of Parmesan risotto with Gavi, or even strawberries served in a glass of sweet Moscato, Piemonte has it all.

With such choice on our doorstep, and knowing that our guests only have a small window of time in the area, we have made it our mission ot showcase Piemontese wines. To do this without getting completely carried away, we have stuck to a few simple guidelines, which means that every wine on our list has to earn its place. See Our Wines for more details