Two new releases from Piemonte seems like an excellent place to start. Massolino's cracking Dolcetto does not need any introduction. Made using only the estate’s finest grapes, the 2022 is redolent with juicy, fleshy fruit and vibrant floral perfume. The second new wine is Justin Bubb’s latest addition to his delicious range of great-value Italian vino. Bubb’s knack for delivering classic wines of freshness, approachability and enjoyment is as plain as day in Babo's Langhe Nebbiolo. Both wines sail in well below $30 LUC. Staying north, Girlan's wines from the stony, mountainous terroir of the Valle dell’Adige belie their humble price tag with a bell-clear expression of their origins. The 2023 Bianco is a delicious white of aromatic, textural, snappy appeal. A new vintage of Corzano e Paterno's Terre di Corzano warrants an offer in its own right. The style is a delicious counterpoint to the Chianti mainstream: transparent, pure-fruited and frankly expressive of Corzano’s alberese soils. And finally, Di Majo Norante’s juicy coastal red from organically grown Montepulciano and Aglianico is another don’t-miss from Molise’s top grower. Carpe vinum!