Ugo Balocco Az. Agricola

Grandfather Ugo planted this on one of the better hills above San Marzano Oliveto back in the early 1960s, and his two grandsons run it now: Simone out in the vineyard, Luca — a trained oenologist — in the cellar. It's genuinely small and genuinely their own, which comes through the moment you taste. The steady favourite is Fredo, their Barbera d'Asti, and since autumn 2022 they've added a Nizza DOCG called Giulio, the appellation reserved for a handful of comuni around Nizza Monferrato.

Moscato is the other thread here, and not only the sweet kind: alongside the classic Moscato d'Asti Canelli they make two dry Moscato Secco, Controverso in steel and Pina in oak, which surprise people who think they know the grape. A visit runs about ten euros — a walk through the vines, the cellar, then a sit-down tasting of Moscato, Dolcetto and Barbera with a plate of local salumi. Weekends they open at eleven; midweek you'll need to book Simone or Luca ahead on +39 329 014 0915. Come with room in the car, because most people leave with a case.