A new book about the wines of Italy could be the perfect Christmas stocking filler for a wine enthusiast, it is claimed.

According to Wine Spectator, Grandi Vini: An Opinionated Tour of Italy's 89 Finest Wines is a "well-written and informative book", which offers oenophiles a "discriminating, intelligent view of Italian wine today".

The book's author Joseph Bastianich takes readers on a tour of each vineyard and its region, inspecting its cultural roots and historical importance, as well as the quality of the vineyard's produce, Wine Spectator notes.

Barolo, Barbaresco and other wines from the Piedmont region, along with Super Tuscans, account for more than half of the entries in the book.

For those who wish to try wines from the Piedmont region, but do not want to pay for a Barolo or Barbaresco, wine critic John Foy recently suggested an alternative.

Writing in the New Jersey Star Ledger, Mr Foy recommended Roero wines. These may not be as complex as Barolo, but they do offer "pure fruit flavours and immediate gratification", he said.