Barbera D’Alba “Parpan”. Fontanafredda. 2005

Barbera D’Alba isn’t quite as good as its near neighbour Barbera D’Asti – though that’s a bit like saying a Maserati isn’t quite as good as a Ferrari – but this week’s bottle makes up for that tiny discrepancy by coming from one of Piedmont’s outstanding producers. Barbera D’Alba “Parpan” is one-up the ladder from Fontanafredda’s entry-level Barbera and is an excellent wine at a bargain price.

(For more – with pictures – click on the headline title above)

Moli’. Di Majo Norante. 2006

Whether it’s down to some astute choices, or just a happy accident, we seem to have been on a bit of a roll lately discovering good, new, everyday Italian wine. This week, that roll continues, with a white wine from Molise, the small region to Abruzzo’s immediate south…

(Click on the headline title above for more – with pictures !)

Vino Novello 2008. Cantine Tollo and Miglianico

November in Abruzzo is a good month. We get our first taste of the year’s new olive oil – emerald green and peppery; the sweet chestnuts are are gathered in sackfuls for roasting on open wood and charcoal fires; and best of all, around the middle of the month, all the local cantine release their Vino Novello.

(One’s great – one’s not so great. To discover whether it was Tollo or Miglianico who carried off the tasting honours, click on the main headline title above !)