This is the perfect pizza or pasta wine to pair with informal family dinners at home. The 2013 Nebbiolo d'Alba is a simple and streamlined expression that offers a good sense of directness and sharpness. It succeeds in keeping the palate refreshed and revived. This wine was released two years ago, so I am submitting this review for the benefit of our archive.

Sweet red berries, crushed flowers and spices are some of the notes that emerge from the 2010 Nebbiolo d-Alba. Sweet floral notes add lift on the finish. Angelo Rocca gave the Nebbiolo a short fermentation to keep the aromas and flavors fresh while achieving just enough body to balance the tannins. Judging by this effort, he has succeeded marvelously. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2015. I was shocked and saddened to learn that proprietor Angelo Rocca recently passed away in a crash involving his own light airplane. I visited with Rocca in late August, just as the Moscato was coming in. Rocca embodied the spirit of the self-made Piemontese grower who took a sleepy family-run winery and turned it into a world-class estate in just one generation. He will be deeply missed. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including de Grazia Imports; tel. (417) 732-4200; Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Robert Houde Wines, Elk Grove Village, IL; tel. (847) 430-3887