For the first time in 10 years of coming here to Piedmont, there is snow in March. Apparently half a metre fell two days ago. It's a great opportunity to visually pick out the top vineyard sites, where the snow has already completely melted away.

Aside from tasting the new young wines, sumptuous and easy 2009 Dolcettos and Barberas, our main purpose here is, of course, to taste the latest Barolo releases. We have covered good ground today, most of it in and around La Morra - Marco Marengo, a Corino double header (Giovanni and Renato), Elio Altare, Matteo Correggia in Roero, finishing on a high with the trip up towards Asti to visit La Morandina, whose delightful Moscato d'Asti must be one of the best there is.

On today's evidence 2006 is a very good Barolo vintage indeed, the wines taste well now but clearly have great ageing potential. They have robust structures without being austere, crisp red fruit acidities, and that enchanting Nebbiolo aroma and ripeness. A classic style vintage, akin to 1996 but sweeter, fleshier and less chiselled, an extremely interesting proposition particularly for the purist.The only negative so far seems to be that very localised but devastating hail towards the end of the 2006 season meant that some wines have not been made, Arborina from Renato and Elio Altare, for example.