By the time this column comes out, it will be Big Coat weather, so those collars will be getting higher and the scarves thicker. And, when there’s a chill in the air, I like to eat food than leans towards smoky and earthy flavours: charred vegetables, stews, sausages and mushroom everything.
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, even though they make up only a tiny fraction (less than 5%) of Italy’s total production. Demand for them is high, so expect prices to start a little higher, too (apologies in advance).
