{"id":12882,"date":"2025-07-21T06:06:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T18:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=12882"},"modified":"2025-09-29T15:36:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T02:36:05","slug":"around-the-world-in-80-grapes-nebbiolo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=12882","title":{"rendered":"Around the World in 80 grapes – Nebbiolo"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Nebbiolo is one of those grape varietals that has an effect on winelovers that goes beyond rational responses. You may enjoy a glass of Merlot, or Sauvignon Blanc – but those your favourite<\/i>? I often say \u201cIt is better to be a wine that some people love, than \u2018a wine that everyone thinks is OK\u201d. Nebbiolo is one of those \u2018favourites\u2019. Its fans are true disciples, whose eyes glaze over at the very thought of opening a bottle. As such, the top wines are expensive and have cult-like followings.<\/p>

One of Italy\u2019s most important grape varieties – some would say the great grape of Italy. Responsible for the two great DOCG wine styles of Barolo<\/b> and Barbaresco<\/b> – it is primarily identified with the Langhe region of Piedmont<\/b>, situated in Italy\u2019s north-west. Not widely grown elsewhere in the world, it isn\u2019t even the most widely-planted grape in Piedmont, where other red varieties – Barbera and Dolcetto outnumber it. Suffering from a reputation of being a finicky grape that thrives only in specific terroirs (like people used to say about Pinot Noir) – even well-known and \u2018large estates\u2019 like Fontanafredda<\/b> only have 120 hectares planted. One to two hectares would be considered a regular-sized vineyard in Langhe.<\/p>

Other Piedmont sub-regions such as Roero<\/b> – which is a DOCG – and Gattinara & Ghemme from Alto Piemonte<\/b> round out the offerings from its \u2018home turf\u2019. The only other meaningful producers are clustered around the cooler, steep terraced vineyards of Valtellina<\/b> in neighbouring Lombardy. Pockets of Nebbiolo are also grown in the north where Boca, Bramaterra and Carema make noticeably fresher, edgier styles. Nebbiolo has also found an important place in Australia, aided by a preference for italian varieties from the immigrant communities. It is seen in cooler, elevated vineyards throughout Victoria and in the Adelaide Hills.<\/p>

Bunches of Nebbiolo grapes are typically medium to large, cylindrical or pyramidal in shape, with densely packed berries. They often have a wing, which can appear as a second cluster. The berries themselves are small to medium, round or oval, and have a thin but tough bluish skin. They are known for their high tannin and acidity levels.\u00a0Nebbiolo buds early but ripens late, making it susceptible to spring frosts.\u00a0The vine is typically of medium-high vigour.\u00a0<\/p>

Anthocyanins – which are a group of water-soluble pigments that give fruits and vegetables their red, purple, and blue colours – are not strong in Nebbiolo. As such, the colour of the wine tends to be quite pale – a translucent ruby colour, and it can be hard to judge the age of the wine by the colour in your glass.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Wines made from Nebbiolo are a conundrum. The elements at play in a glass of it shouldn\u2019t make sense – shouldn\u2019t work together\u2026 yet they certainly seem to. Its tannin can be heroic, but the nose can\/should be outrageously floral, delicate and ethereal. The best examples aren\u2019t afraid to stray into \u2018rustic\u2019 territory, with a dry terracotta-like dustiness. There will be a stony minerality; and often a balance between a fleshy sweetness and a sappy tartness.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This is a varietal that can achieve high ripeness while retaining lots of acidity. Unlike many grapes, the fruit doesn\u2019t become overly rich and sweet at higher ripeness, usually looking somewhat savoury and with those signature grippy, black tea tannins. Nebbiolo can vary from lighter-bodied expressions with tart cranberry, red currants and sour red cherry flavours; through to the classic \u201ctar and roses\u201d styles with more weight – looking more savoury, with pot pourri, pepper, star anise, orange rind and bacon fat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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It conveys nuance of site like few varieties, and it can produce staggeringly long-lived wines. While people think about Nebbiolo being a wine for the cellar, – and the Barolos are certainly examples of that – there are actually some pretty, up front wines that are enjoyable in their youth. Even Barbaresco is well-suited to being drunk in its youth. They can be very pale in appearance but still have that tension in the palate that keeps you going back to the glass, but with the prettiness on the nose balanced with mouth-watering acidity and stout tannins. There is also something that compares to a negroni about these fine-boned examples.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Here are the best regions in the world for Nebbiolo-based wines<\/b>:<\/p>

Piedmont, Italy
<\/b><\/b>This is by far<\/i> the most important region for Nebbiolo, responsible for its most iconic expressions.<\/p>

Barolo DOCG
<\/b><\/b>Known as the “King of Wines”<\/p>