Our Story

We’re Richard Noble and Allegra Rangoni Machiavelli. In early 2012, we quit our regular jobs in the UK to follow our dream of renovating an old farmhouse in the Langhe, Italy. Things didn’t always go to plan, but a couple of years later we opened the doors to Villa Ribota, a luxurious holiday retreat which proved to be a hit with travellers from around the world.

While our main focus in the early years was on our renovation and burgeoning business, what we didn’t realise at the time was just how much wine was coming to mean to us. We were making new friends, almost all of who were either wine producers or worked in the wine trade. Our evenings would be spent with these new friends, opening bottle after bottle of Nebbiolo and Barbera. And Sundays would be spent at their houses, often wineries, tasting wines not only from Piemonte, but around the world. We were surrounded by vineyards, and gradually our lives started to take on the rhythm of the vines, as we rested in winter, before coming back to life in spring, with everything building to the excitement of harvest in the autumn.

Returning to Scotland in 2025, we immediately noticed that good quality wines, particularly from Piemonte, were rather thin on the ground. Sure, if you look hard enough you can find wines from the big producers, but what about the little guys? The wines we had spent the past 15 years drinking just weren’t available. So, we decided to do something about it.

Northern Wines is about wines we love, made by people we love, bringing the spirit of the Langhe to Scotland. We offer a highly-curated selection of high quality wines made by small, family-run producers, people we’re delighted to be able to call our friends.