Cascina Val del Prete, Roero DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) 2017

 A cool wine from a very warm year, this is quite successful, with a streak of sweet mid-palate fruit buffering the tannins and elongating the finish.  Light in color and pigment density but with notable richness belying its appearance, it is an intriguing wine that could work with anything from antipasti to seriously flavorful braised beef dishes.  Such are the food-pairing wonders of fine Nebbiolo from the Langhe.  There’s a leathery note and a hint of cured meat working with fruit notes recalling dried cherries very effectively in this, with very fine tannins but a lot of them, circling us back to the need for food.  As is ever the case in Italy.