Many fine wines from Italy's Piedmont region are overshadowed by the giants of Barolo and Barbaresco, it is claimed.

Barolo and Barbaresco are rightly lauded as some of the country's finest wines, yet critic Patrick Comiskey, of the Los Angeles Times insists that there is much more on offer in Piedmont.

Mr Comiskey notes that Tenuta Sella Bramaterra I Porfidi 2003 is a particularly good example of those vineyards in the higher, cooler parts of the region that use the Nebbiolo grape.

These create wines that "seem wonderfully delicate and authentic at once, classical in the best sense", he explained.

To the north of Barolo lies Verduno, which offers wines with "fine herbal scent and peppery, mildly earthy tones" such as Castello di Verduno Pelaverga Basadone 2008, the critic suggests.

Visitors looking to explore the vintages of this region may wish to note that the village of Barolo recently opened a wine museum which depicts the area's winemaking history.