When we first arrived in Italy, I was utterly underwhelmed with the quality of the pumpkins most commonly-found in our local shops. Vast, watery, fibrous slices of nothingness.

I now grow my own – which is easy and gives you the bonus extra of those big edible yellow flowers that you can stuff and deep-fry – but, especially in the UK, pretty well all supermarkets sell those acorn-shaped Butternut squashes, which are just fine for this recipe.

The list of ingredients for this roast pumpkin soup could hardly be be any shorter.
For two people, you'll need:
– 500g of peeled pumpkin.
– 1 litre of good chicken or vegetable stock. For this particular recipe, home-made is best – or you can buy good bottled and gel stocks in supermarkets.

After peeling your pumpkin – a potato-peeler does the job perfectly – cut it in half; scoop out the seeds and and any fibrous bits and throw them away; cut each of the two halves into two of three chunks; put them in a roasting tray; pour over a tablespoon or two of olive oil and ensure each chunk is coated; then put into an oven heated to 200˚C and roast – turning once or twice – for about 50 minutes.

By this time, your chunks will be soft and attractively flecked with golden brown.

Why roast them ? Pumpkins contain a lot of water, which is cooked-out when they're roasted, concentrating the flavours and caramelising the veggie's natural sugars. This reduces it to a perfect sweet fudginess.

The roasting process also turns the colour of the pumpkin's flesh to a rich, deep orange, which makes the soup look extremely appetising too.

At this point, put the pumpkin chunks and half the stock into a food processor and bltz until smooth. If the result's a little thick for your taste, add more stock until you get your preferred consistency.

Or, if you don't have a processor, simmer the chunks in half the stock until really soft, then use a hand-blender. Again, add more stock as required.

Some salt and black pepper to taste; reheat (but don't allow it to boil) – and that's basically it.

But not quite…

Though this soup's very good just as it is, there's a whole host of little extras that can make it outstanding. – before roasting, rub a half-teaspoon of Five Spice Powder; or Ground Cumin Seeds; or Ground Cinnamon; or Mixed Spice into the raw pumpkin chunks along with the oil.

And to serve, add one or two of the following:
– a dollop of cream; creme fraiche; fromage frais; or plain yoghurt
– chopped, toasted hazelnuts or almonds
– chopped crispy bacon or pancetta
– finely grated parmesan
– croutons

This actually gives you a vast number of flavourful permutations But resist the temptation to add everything. More is not necessarily better !

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The town, along with its mighty Benedictine Abbey on the summit of Monte Cassino, was obliterated between January and May 1944 in one of World War II's epic battles.

Cassino today is a modern town. Thriving, bustling and prosperous.

The Abbey too is modern. Once again a Benedictine monastery, rebuilt to its exact original plans and re-consecrated in 1964, with an air of peace and timeless tranquillity untroubled by its past.

That it exists at all is incredible. That it's been so painstakingly and faithfully resurrected from utter ruin is nothing short of miraculous.

Enter the Abbey through a small and unassuming door cut into the stonework.

A cool, shaded path leads you past a small, cloistered garden onto a broad terrace, where statues of St Benedict and his twin sister St Scholastica, flank the steps leading up to the Basilica.

The views out over the Liri Valley from the terrace and, particularly, from the top of the steps, are spectacular.

But it's this same commanding aspect, 520m/1700ft, above the surrounding countryside, that made the Abbey such a key strategic vantage point and provided for its destruction.

In the five months leading up to the eventual capture of Monte Cassino, a campaign that resulted in some 75,000 Allied and German casualties, the Abbey was reduced to rubble.

That its treasures survived owes much to the courage and foresight of two German airforce officers who arranged for these – and most of the Abbey's Benedictine monks – to be transported out of harm's way to the safety of the Vatican in late 1943.

Such is the perfection now of the Abbey and its Basilica, it's near-impossible to comprehend its previous destruction. Yet reminders of the War are close at hand.

On the mountain's slopes, just beneath its summit and facing the Abbey, is a Polish War Cemetery, where over a thousand soldiers who died during the campaign are buried.

The inscription on the cemetery gates reads:
We Polish soldiers have given our bodies to Italy; our hearts to Poland; and our souls to God for our own, and other peoples' freedom.

Touchingly, rosaries have been placed on most of the crosses marking each grave. Not identical, mass-produced and thoughtlessly mass-distributed, but each an individual recognition from a family; or a friend; or a comrade; or, most simply, from someone grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by each of these fallen soldiers.

The Abbey is open daily – though closed between 1230 and 1530. The rebuilt Basilica lacks only some of the rich decorations of its ruined predecessor, but untouched by war is the Crypt, at the far end of the Basilica and underneath the Altar, with stunning original frescoes, carvings and mosaics.

While entry to the Abbey is free, there's a €7 charge (2011 price) to go round the Museum. Well worth-while for the opportunity to see breathtakingly fragile and beautiful illustrated manuscripts dating from the 10th century, and extraordinary treasures like the personal prayer book of Pope Urban V.

There's also a small book and souvenir shop which commendably keeps prices at reasonable levels. Especially good is the well-written and profusely illustrated guide and history of the Abbey, available in a choice of languages.

On the other side of the coin, give the 'Historiale di Cassino' multi-media display in Cassino Town a wide berth for its charmless staff and the inescapable feeling that the enterprise is less about remembrance and more about turning a fast buck.

But let's not end on a negative note. For the iconic status it has achieved for both religious and historical reasons, Monte Cassino Abbey is one of Italy's absolute five-star, must-visit sights.

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As with the other ten already blogged, the usual advice to treat the price guide as just that – a guide. The prices I mention are roughly what the two of you would pay for a couple of courses each; a litre – or bottle – of house wine; water and coffee.

Cantina del Tripio, Via Tripio 101, Guardiagrele. 0871 83072
"Quirky" is the word that sums up the Cantina. The Mamma of owner Nicola does the cooking and what's on offer on any given night pretty much depends on what she feels like preparing – which Nico will then dutifully recite to you. So no menu. And even what's bubbling away in the kitchen can be adapted to how you'd like it, so this really is eating like an Italian. The food's very good. The surroundings are a soothing pale blue. And it's not expensive. About €45.

Il Bosco della Meraviglie, Via Nazionale 77, Selva di Altino. 872 985765. Closed Monday.
Our nearest good pizzeria, but maybe not quite as good as the slightly further away Il Ghiottone blogged last time. But the Bosco's still an excellent choice. World and European Pizza Champions in 2005 no less. Had a bit of a dip in form in 2008/9, but have since bounced back extremely well with a revamped menu of red and white pizzas; some exceptional pasta dishes – gorgonzola and fresh pomodorini is utterly sublime – and a majestic, if pricey, Bistecca Fiorentina, served with all the bells and whistles and appropriate ceremony. Usefully, open for lunch – but, last time we went, for pasta and meat only. Pizza/Pasta about €30. Meat about €50+

La Vecchia Collina, Via Santa Lucia 92, Sant'Eusanio del Sangro. 0872 757198
If you want the full-on, genuine, no-holds-barred Abruzzo eating experience, this is the place to come. The Vecchia Collina is an agriturismo that makes absolutely no concessions to non-Abruzzese. Fizzy and still mineral water, red wine, fizzy lemonade – and one glass apiece – appear on your table within seconds of you arriving. Then antipasti in heroic and unending number. You may not like a few of them. But you'll enjoy most. Then pasta. Then char-grilled meat. (But you can opt-out of the food blitz any time you like). Then bottles of digestivi arrive. Help yourself. Quite small. Highly friendly. Very well run. Jammed every night. Must book. About €40

Taverna 58, Corso Manthone 46, Pescara. 085 4515695. Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday.
If you're having a day out in Pescara, this is the place to go for lunch when the city closes between 1300 and 1600. In one of the two surviving streets in Pescara's old town, Taverna 58 is a much-loved Pescara institution. A restaurant since 1980 – but for many years before that, a bar – this is where you'll eat from a menu that hasn't really changed much since the opening. And prepared by pretty much the same kitchen staff too ! Split levels; lots of photos and other memorabilia on the walls; and tables tucked here and there give a cosy, intimate feel. A favorite of local business people – but decidedly unstuffy. There's a daily fixed-price lunch menu – or eat a la carte. From about €45.

Il Cavaluccio. Torino di Sangro Marina. 0872 60196
A hugely enviable position at the sea's edge with an in-your-face view of one of this coastline's iconic trabocco fishing platforms, the Cavaluccio's a bit of a victim to its own success in high summer, when an outside eating area added to an already spacious interior can lead to creaky service and the occasional dip in quality. Especially good for lunch – arrive early and grab one of the window tables. Good fishy antipasti and especially good house pasta too. And you can take it for granted the fritto misto will be up to scratch as well. As with all Adriatic fish restaurants, check what's not on the menu for any specials. About €50

That's fifteen good places to eat now listed – proof positive that you can come here for a fortnight and eat out somewhere different every day of your Abruzzo holiday !

More suggestions soon…

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It's also one of these great Italian recipes which has no 'right' or 'wrong' recipe. The two staple ingredients are tomatoes and Cannellini beans – but aside from those, you can pretty much ring the changes to suite your taste. This is what you'll need:

– a 400g tin of Cannellini beans
– a 400g of chopped tomatoes (ideally, Italian)
– 1 or 2 cloves of garlic – a dried hot red chilli pepper
– 500ml vegetable or chicken stock. A good quality cube is fine
– a small red onion
– 50g dry weight of pasta
– pinch of sugar
– 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
– olive oil
– one or two parmesan rinds

Before cooking starts, let's make it clear that you can of course use dried Cannellini beans, (which you've pre-soaked) and fresh tomatoes, (which you've skinned and seeded). Personally, for the sake of speed and convenience, I'd rather use good quality tinned beans and tomatoes. And if you've used tinned Italian tomatoes, the taste will be delicious. Your call basically.

Here's what you do:
Warm a tablespoon or two of oil in a large saucepan. To this add the chopped red onion; the peeled and chopped garlic; and as much chopped chilli pepper to suit your taste. Cook gently over a medium heat until the onion's softened, but don't allow this, or the garlic, to go brown.

Drain and rinse the tinned Cannellini beans and add these. Let them to warm through for a few minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes; the stock; a pinch of sugar; and the red wine vinegar.

At this point, you can – if you like – blitz the soup for a few seconds with a hand blender to give a slightly thicker texture. Your choice.

Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and gently simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Don't add salt yet as it can toughen the Cannellini beans.

If you have them, now add one or two old rinds of Parmesan cheese. Save these in a plastic bag in the freezer when you've grated-off all the usable cheese. They enrichen and make a fantastic addition to most Italian soups. (And you don't need to defrost them before using).

While the soup's simmering away, cook the 50 grams of pasta. You can buy pasta specially-made to go into soups, but I find it it easier to simply break-up a few lengths of spaghetti or linguine into inch-long pieces. Cook these in a separate pan. If you try and cook them in the soup, you'll end up with a stodgy, starchy result. When the pasta's cooked, drain it, and add it to the soup.

An especially good extra ingredient – if you can get your hands on them – are proper Italian sausages. These are made from 100% meat, unlike English sausage which have a proportion of rusk added. My Italian favorites are sausages from Puglia, which are small – about 2 inches – and have fennel seeds added to the meat, which gives a gorgeous sweet, slightly aniseed taste to the sausage. Just brown the sausages in a frying pan and then add them to the soup for the last 10 minutes or so of cooking time. Again, this will enrich the final result and add another delicious layer of flavour.

When the soup's ready, add salt/pepper to your taste; remove and discard the Parmesan cheese rinds. Ladle the soup into bowls, add a sausage or two if you're using them, and drizzle a little of your very best olive oil over the soup.

As an alternative to sausage – and to make this soup even heartier – just before serving, toast a slice of country bread. Rub this with garlic; drizzle it with oil; put a slice in each person's bowl and ladle the soup over.

Some grated Parmesan; good bread and red wine are the only other accompaniments you'll need. This recipe will serve two people as a main meal – or four as a starter. Enjoy !

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La Bottega dei Miracoli. Piazza Garibaldi 14, Sulmona. 0864 212055
Sulmona is a lovely old town a couple of hours to the south-west of us, reached by a drive through some of Abruzzo's most spectacular scenery. La Bottega's a great place for a lazy summer lunch, sitting outside under a big shady umbrella with great views out onto the Piazza Garibaldi and Sulmona's encircling mountains. It's one of the very nicest places we know where to eat outdoors. Service is friendly; pasta and meat dishes a distinct cut-above regular trattoria fare; and prices reasonable. About €55

Villa Maiella. Via Sette Dolore, Guardiagrele. 0871 809319. Closed Monday. Must book
This is where you go locally for that special meal – especially for lunch in summer, when you can sit outside on their lovely shady terrace with views of the Majella National Park. Rather elegant and smart – but friendly too, as you're greeted with a glass of Prosecco on the house. The food here is a modern take on traditional Abruzzo cooking – and delicious. The lamb prepared in five different ways was to die for. Wine list has some stratospheric prices – but many good, fairly-priced bottles too. About €90

La Lumaca. Via delle Caserme 51, Pescara. 085 451 0880. Closed Sunday
'La Lumaca' means 'the snail' – a good name for a restaurant that's a member of Italy's renowned 'Slow Food' movement, formed in the mid-1980's as a reaction to the ever-growing trend for 'fast food'. Smart interior; food good – esp the cheese-tasting platter – and a really entertaining setting, in the last surviving fragment of Pescara's old town, which positively hums each evening. About €70

Locanda La Quercia. Via Quercia del Santissimi 16, Piane d'Arche. 0872 898468. Closed Tuesday
One of the better local agriturismi, with the tried-and-trusted agri fare of plentiful antipasti; good pasta; and char-grilled meat. As with all agriturismi, everything you eat will be home-produced. In winter, sit by a huge fire in the 'old' part of the restaurant, drink rough red wine and just enjoy the experience. About €40

Dal Ghiottone. Via Passo Lanciano, Piane d'Arche. 0872 896430
How can you fail to love a place to eat called 'The Glutton' ! Just about half-a-mile away from La Quercia, reached across a disused railway line and housed in a former church, this is what every Italian pizzeria should be like. Buzzy atmosphere; checked table-cloths; and a wood-fired oven in a corner of the restaurant turning out the best pizzas in our immediate area. Very good pasta too, should you ever want a change. And have an order of Olive Ascolane to nibble while you choose from the 30-odd pizzas on offer. Exceptional value as well. About €30

Five more recommended Abruzzo restaurants coming soon…

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Aside from 'Where's best for walking ?', 'Where's good to eat ?' is the question we get asked most frequently by Villasfor2 guests.

It's a harder question than you might think. Not because there's a shortage of good places – but because there are almost too many.

Our part of southern Abruzzo offers so many good quality, good value places to eat that you could quite literally stay here for a month; go somewhere different every night; and barely scratch the surface of what's on offer.

You'll see the blog's called 'Five Top Abruzzo Restaurants'. Not 'The Top Five Abruzzo Restaurants.' You can find those by looking in a guide. Allegedly.

No. The five restaurants listed below are all places where we've eaten; enjoyed it; and would go again. And we do.

When I've listed this five, I'll list five more. And then five more; and then even more. There are quite a few. And why only southern Abruzzo ? Because Abruzzo's a big region – and we don't know the north particularly well.

Treat the guide prices for two I've given with caution. Such is the menu choice open to you in any restaurant, that even in the smartest place, you can have either just a bowl of pasta and a glass of house wine; or a four-course feast with a couple of pricey bottles. Bills can vary wildly as a result.

To start the ball rolling and in no particular order…

Le Maschere. Via Garibaldi 56, Tollo. 0871 961810. Closed Tue.
By a very narrow margin, the unique square pizzas emerging from the wood-fired oven at Le Maschere, (pumpkin and gorgonzola is an inspired combo), are the best we've eaten in Abruzzo so far. Don't be put off by the slightly dingy bar at the front. Out back is a spacious and rather smart eating area. Pasta and meat too. Pizza and wine/beer about €30.

Agriturismo del Sole. Cda Monte Secco 1, Torino di Sangro. 0873 913292. Open only Wed thru Sat for dinner; and Sun only for lunch.
Real skill at work in the kitchen with inventive antipasti – the variety of fresh ricotta is especially good – plus the regular agriturismo staples of home-produced pasta and meat. Excellent mixed dessert platter. Tiny restaurant; booking's always advisable – and nb that during the grape and olive harvests, it may be closed completely. About €45

La Sirenella. Via Lungomare 70, Fossacesia Marina. 0872 607146. Closed Tue.
Winter opening times variable.
One of the better fish restaurants that line our stretch of the Adriatic. Gorgeous location, with an umbrella-shaded terrace right on the beach. Excellent antipasti misti and fritto misto as you'd expect – but if it's on the menu, try the ombrina, a white fish roasted with potatoes, rosemary and olives. About €60

Lu Piccione. Via Sciorilli 2, Sant'Eusanio. 0872 757589. Closed Tue
Beloved by all Villasfor2 guests – and us – this is our nearest good place to eat. Sit outside in summer; inside by a big open fire in winter. Home-made Pappardelle with porcini mushrooms, sausage and truffle; and Chittara with gorgonzola and slivers of sweet red pepper are worth the airfare on their own. About €40

Ai Vecchi Sapori. Via Ravizza 16, Lanciano. 0872 712184. Closed Mon
OK, point a gun at my head and ask which is my favorite Abruzzo restaurant. It's this one. Lovely atmosphere; interesting layout with part of the kitchen actually in the restaurant; and a top-notch menu based on Italy's 'slow food' movement. The main-course braises are the speciality. Rabbit, wild boar, lamb and beef all exceptional. Come to that, the antipasti and pasta (nb the timbale) are great too. About €70.

More soon. Mangiate bene !

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I've posted this recipe before, but a delicious bowl last night convinced me it was worth a re-run as the prelude to a semi-regular soupy series I have planned for the winter.

Though at first sight this exceptionally easy recipe might seem Italian, it's perhaps best described as "Mediterranean Fusion', because there's one key, must-have, non-Italian ingredient without which the soup doesn't exactly fail -  but just doesn't taste the same.

That ingredient is Spanish Pimenton Picante, which adds an irreplaceable smoky spiciness to this soup and a delectable brick-red colour to the final result.

You can just about get away with using a pinch or two of dried chillis as a substitute – but it doesn't provide the rich depth of colour and distinctive flavour that Pimenton Picante bestows.

The good news is that proper Spanish Pimenton Picante is very easy to find – either locally to where you live in supermarkets or specialist food shops, or by mail order. It's not expensive, lasts a long time and it's well-worth the small effort.

You'll also need…

- 500g of the ripest sweet red peppers you can find. The very best to use are thin-skinned Italian ones as the big bell-pepper types give off lots of water while they're roasting

- 500g of ripe red tomatoes

- 400g tin of Borlotti beans

- 750ml of good chicken or vegetable stock.

- 1 rounded teaspoon of Spanish Pimenton Picante – or a pinch or two of dried chillis

- Olive oil

- Garlic

- (optional) 200g or so of finely shredded cold roast pork; or smoked ham; or – if you're in Italy – porchetta.

This is what you do:
– Heat your oven to 200C/400F
– De-seed your peppers and cut them into 4-6 chunks per pepper
– Cut your tomatoes in half and cut out any green cores. (They don't need any skinning or de-seeding).
Put the peppers and tomatoes into a roasting dish. Pour over a couple of good glugs of oil and with your hands, ensure that each chunk of veg gets an oily coating. Sprinkle over some salt and put into the oven.

Check after 25 mins. The tomatoes and peppers should be completely soft and any water given off should have cooked-away. Ideally some of the pieces should be a little brown round the edges, so if necessary give them another 10 mins at most.

In the meantime, take a large saucepan and pour in a about a tablespoon of oil.
– Place over a low heat and add one or two peeled, chopped or crushed cloves of garlic
– Open the beans. Rinse them in a sieve. Add half to the oil and garlic.
– Stir in the teaspoon of Pimenton Picante – or the dried chillis. (Not too many of the latter. We're looking for nothing more than a gentle warmth)
– Cook gently for 5 mins. Then turn off the heat. Pop a lid on the saucepan. And let it sit until the tomatoes and peppers are ready.

When they are, tip them into the saucepan. Pour half the stock into the saucepan too and use the rest to deglaze your roasting tray of all the delicious gooey bits that'll be left. Keep this aside for a moment.

Using a hand-blender, blitz the tomatoes, peppers, stock, beans and spices. The resulting texture is a matter of choice. I prefer it to be slightly coarse rather than having the soup completely smooth.

(You can of course use a food processor instead for this stage)

To the resulting soup, add all the remaining beans and enough of the remaining stock to give your preferred consistency. You're looking for a moderately thick soup, but by all means add a drop of water of you'd like to thin it down a little more.

If you have any shredded porky products, now's the time to add them – and any salt/pepper you judge necessary.

Simmer very gently, without allowing to boil, for 10 minutes and then eat with good, crusty bread.

This'll serve four people as a starter; or two as a main meal.

It freezes very well in the unlikely event you'll have any left.

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Art treasures, museums, Roman ruins, sweeping country vistas and cities dripping with culture are all very noble and mind-enriching, but on the other hand, let's not forget either that Italy's also a country of fashion, flair and fun and that the best way to experience this is to go SHOPPING !

There's the shopping that involves edging your way down Rome's Via Condotti and wondering just who can afford a handkerchief that costs €1000, even if it is made by Vermani e Banana.

And there's regular Abruzzo shopping in perfectly nice shops in perfectly nice towns, which is all just perfectly fine except that it doesn't quite fit the bill of the total immersion shopping experience.

Which is why you'll really appreciate the arrival of the Citta' Sant'Angelo Village just to the north of Pescara, which provides a turbo-charged, price-slashed, Abruzzo shopping experience.

About 100 retail outlets (with another 50 or 60 opening imminently); mainly devoted to men's and women's fashion, shoes, bags and accessories; (and a few to household goods too – but who wants to buy a frying-pan on holiday ?); in a setting that can honestly be described as luxurious.

The theme is a highly-stylised and highly-colourful Italian village, dotted with little seat-and-statue'd piazzas and plenty of places to stop for coffee, a drink, or a snack.

And plenty of loos too, of a standard that would shame many a 5-star hotel.

Not wildly busy during the week either, as you can see from the pictures I took at around two o'clock on a Monday afternoon. (Though from the size of the truly massive carpark, which practically spans two different time zones, it must get busy sometime).

Pretty much the only downside is that even heavily-discounted designer prices can still be a touch stiff, but even to my decidedly un-fashionista eye, there were plenty of true bargains just waiting to be plucked from shelves.

Citta' Sant'Angelo Shopping Village is open from 10am to 8pm every day. It's an easy 80-minute drive up the coast from Villasfor2 and provides yet another day-out option on your Abruzzo holiday.

For more info, check out the website: www.cittasantangelovillage.com

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First there were the blogs. David's Everyday Italian Wine, which in turn became David's Special Italian Wine.

Now it's time to watch the wine with the arrival of ItalyVino, which you can see right now on YouTube by clicking here; or on the Villasfor2 pages on Facebook and Twitter; and very soon, as a free podcast download from the Apple iTunes Store.

Why ItalyVino ? Two reasons.

First, to help discover the stars you'll find hidden amongst the decidedly ordinary on the wine-lists of most Italian restaurants outside Italy.

Second, to guide you towards a few more gems – many of which never make it outside Italy – to look out for in restaurants and shops during your next Italian visit.

The approach is a pretty simple and unscholarly one: good wines for both everyday drinking and for special occasions at prices that we can all afford. And at good value for money too.

I'll be releasing ItalyVino episodes once every 10 days or so. The first three will be about Abruzzo wines. After that, I'll be revisiting some wines I've already blogged – and tasting and rating many more new ones.

And if there's a wine you'd like to see featured – drop me a line. We've got our own dedicated mailbox already set-up – italyvino@gmail.com – and it'd be great to hear from you.

Cheers !

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Funny how projects develop a life of their own.

Back in February 2008, not long after we'd first arrived in Abruzzo to start Villasfor2, I began a weekly wine blog called Everyday Italian Wine, which featured bottles you could buy – around here at least – for under €10.

One year and 50-odd bottles later, Everyday Italian Wine morphed into Special Italian Wine, raising the standards to bottles costing over €10.

Now the time's come to move on from Special Italian Wine to something brand new.

Launching next month will be Italian Wine – a regular weekly video review, which you'll be able to watch either as a Podcast or on YouTube.

We'll be letting you know about upcoming Italian Wine video reviews on Twitter and Facebook, so if you haven't already bookmarked our Villasfor2 page on these two sites – now's the time to start !

To allow as wide a range of wines as possible to be featured, the only price restriction on each bottle will be what's in my pocket when I go out wine-buying.

Right from the start, we've never accepted a free bottle or a review request from any winery.

Yes, it means we have to shop for wine carefully and look for the best value we can find, (then again – so do you), but it also means we retain our independence – and that's important.

More than anything else, it means our wine reviews remain a labour of love, rather than of financial necessity.

Standouts of the past couple of years ?

Of the reds, Monti's 2003 'Pignotto' Riserva, one of the new DOCG Montepulciano D'Abruzzo from Teramo province, was outstanding, as was Mastroberardino's terrific 'Radici' 2005 Taurasi from Campania.

Best was Fontanafredda's generic 2004 Barolo. Incredibly well-made; utterly delicious; and living proof that it's still possible to get a really first-rate bottle of Italy's greatest red wine for – just – under €20.

Of the whites, the two other jewels in Campania's DOCG crown – Fiano Di Avellino and Greco di Tufo both scored highly for excellence in both taste and value for money.

(Campania is still a well-kept Italian wine secret. Buy cheaply while you can !)

But the standout white came from just down the road from Villasfor2: Tenuta Ulisse's 'Unico' Pecorino 2008. A wine that's picked-up more international awards than Colin Firth in The Kings Speech.

I've been championing Pecorino – an ancient Abruzzo heritage grape – ever since first trying it and this bottle is the very, very best you can buy. And for a little over €10, it's sensational value.

Not surprisingly, Pecorino features in both our own Villasfor2 'house white' and our own 'house sparkler' and it's perhaps not giving too much away to let you know that these two wines – along with out own Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 'house red' – will be among the first wines we'll be featuring in our upcoming video reviews.

Watch out for the first next month !

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