Le Pianelle, Coste della Sesia Rosso 'Al Forte' 2018

Along with Roberto Conterno’s wines at Nervi-Conterno, Cristiano Garella makes our favorite wines in the northern reaches of Piedmont. That goes for his wines at Colombera & Garella, as well as those he makes at Le Pianelle in Bramaterra. The cool, high-altitude vineyards here yield fresher, lighter, easier-drinking expressions of nebbiolo than you’d find a couple hours south in Barolo and Barbaresco.

Tastes like: Tart cherry, white pepper, licorice, smoke.

How to drink: A perfect pizza wine, don’t overthink it.