Selve, Picotendro "Castagno" (2016) – Valle d'Aosta

In the mountains above Donnas, chestnut trees are as common as vines, so it makes sense that the local barrels are made of it. Chestnut adds less flavour than oak, so what's left is the fruit and the scent. It's a wine for people who like their Nebbiolo a bit rounder.

THE GRAPE
100% Picotendro from Selve's steep, south-facing terraces around Donnas. Small, tender berries give a lighter wine than Nebbiolo from the Langhe, but with a beautiful bouquet.

THE WINE
Chestnut ageing gives a slightly plumper feel than the oak-aged Rovere, with a beautiful scent and real length. It's still an Alpine wine: pale, fresh and mineral, not heavy or jammy. The colour label on the bottle tells you which is which, so watch for the Castagno.

FOOD PAIRING
Carbonada (Valle d'Aosta's beef braised in red wine), chamois or venison stew, roast rabbit, Toma cheese. Serve at 16–18°C.

THE WINEMAKER 
Selve is a small family estate in Donnas, on the border with Piemonte, founded in 1948 and run by the Nicco family. Nothing chemical has ever been used in the vineyards or the cellar, and the wines are vegan. The vines grow on pergolas on steep, south-facing terraces whose stone walls soak up the sun by day and give the warmth back in the evening. The family owns five sites, and Minin is regarded as the finest. Picotendro is simply the local name for Nebbiolo, and Rolando Nicco has been known to tell visitors to forget his name and remember only the place, Donnas, and the grape.