Spanna (Nebbiolo), Boca, Alto Piemonte, Italy

Nebbiolo is one of the greatest red grapes on the planet creating dense, perfumed and long lasting wines that stick with you. In the cooler climate region of Alto Piemonte, where this wine is from, it takes on a fresher, more floral, but equally complex profile. Think Barolo that dropped out of law school to become a sculptor (power & grace!). This example from the Conti sisters ages in traditional, large oak botti for one year before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulphur. The result is a savoury and powerful beauty with hand-crushed red berries, freshly caught game, salty liquorice, wet gravel and black tea. The perfect gift for a traditional wine lover or treat for a natural wine lover looking for a classic-in-all-the-right-ways stunner. Decant for a few hours - any vase or large container will do! — to watch this wine unfurl. Bonus geeky points: just 10 km from Gattinara, another ultra-famous region in Piedmont’s North to look out for.