As autumn turns to winter I always fancy some big warm concentrated reds to savour by the fire. Can you recommend something?

The leaves are piling up in the drive as the wind drives the rain against the window. The summer seems a long way away and I quite agree this time of year calls for something warm and sustaining in your glass and a comfortable chair by a cosy fireside.

There are of course, many contenders for this role as winter warmer. Leaving out the wonderful fortified wines such as Port, Sherry and Madeira and the exalted heights of the classic spirits of character and depth such as whisky and brandy, when it comes to table wine this is the season for red wine.

Warmth and depth of character are pre-requisites here and if I may, this week, I would like to suggest the dark, concentrated red wines of the Piedmont region of North West Italy.

Redolent of the truffles, chestnuts and red fruits of the region, wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto and Barbera have the ability to provide that extra twist of complexity to the intense, brooding fruit at the heart of the wine.

It is fair to say that some of these dark, chewy reds can be a little forbidding at first and quite often they can seem closed and lacking in fruit on first taste. Therefore it is usually a good idea to decant several hours before you intend to enjoy them. I would also recommend that they are served at room temperature to enable the fruity flavours and aromas to evolve.

If you don’t have a decanter, a clean jug would do, the point is to aerate and warm the wine to allow it to achieve its full potential. At worst opening and leaving the cork out for a few hours can help.

Barbaresco 2006, De Forville £13.99 Majestic has a lifted complex delightful nose all warm spicy red fruits suggesting strawberries and roast chestnut. The juicy, astringent, ripe fruit flavour has a savoury chestnut edge, with traces of figs and plums and a delicious juicy astringency on the finish.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Barolo 2004 has a lovely brick red colour. The red berry fruit nose has a truffly red fruits of the forest edge. Figs and plums mingle with strawberry on the palate which is still fairly tight knit and closed there is good depth on finish.

Barbera d'Asti 200, De Forville £12.49 Majestic has a lovely warm, ripe plum nose with traces of figs, raspberries and chestnuts roasting. The flavour is juicy and full of lingering raspberry ripeness underlying complexity and fiery brooding embers of plums and figs.

2007 Dolcetto d'Alba, Giovanni Rosso, Serralunga (£13.20), Berry Brothers. The dark, plum and cherry compote nose has a sweet ripe edge. It is soft and full on the palate with a ripe plum cherry tone and a twist of sweet liquorice on the finish.

TERRE DA VINO 2005 Barolo £12.50 Waitrose has a slightly closed nose, tight knit with a coconut edge to the ripe, juicy fruit, needs decanting as it is a little young yet.

Gavi di Davi Raccolto Tardivo 2008, La Toledana £9.99 Majestic has clean, fresh zesty lemon tones on the nose with a juicy edge. It is dry with pithy lemon undertones good ripe juicy, weighty, fruit on the palate.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Gavi 2007 £6.99 has a clean dry lemony nose with a slightly candied peel edge. Juicy, simple dry Italian style white classy some depth and complexity.