2024 Bel Colle Verduno Pelaverga DOC, Verduno

Verduno holds a special place in Piedmont for lovers of delicate, perfumed reds and Pelaverga is its most charming calling card. Bel Colle, a historic cooperative founded in the late 1970s and now working closely with growers across prized hillside vineyards, crafts a beautifully authentic version that captures both the grape’s playful spice and the elegance of this cool northern Barolo village. Sandy limestone soils and breezy exposures help Pelaverga retain its trademark freshness and lifted aromatics, resulting in a wine that feels light on its feet yet full of character.

Translucent ruby with a pale rim, the wine is immediately fragrant. Red cherry, wild strawberry and cranberry mingle with rose petal, white pepper and a distinctive savoury herbal note that is pure Verduno. There is an almost Pinot like finesse to the nose. On the palate it is silky and vibrant, juicy red fruits flowing into hints of blood orange, spice and crushed stone minerality. Tannins are gentle and finely woven, acidity bright and mouthwatering, finishing dry, savoury and refreshingly moreish.

This is the kind of bottle that suits long lunches and unfussy Italian fare. Think vitello tonnato, tajarin with butter and sage, charcuterie boards or even wood fired pizza shared with friends. Best enjoyed in its youthful vibrancy over the next three to five years, lightly chilled if the mood takes you. A wonderfully authentic taste of Verduno that shows just how captivating Pelaverga can be.