Nebbiolo is early budding and late ripening and has one of the longest growing seasons of any grape variety. As such it needs to grow in ideally the best hillside vineyards, with south-southwest exposure, to ensure sufficient ripening. A wine of strong tannic backbone, high acidity, and often a stern austere texture, Nebbiolo’s exuberant fragrance is one of its main qualities, redolent of cherries, tar, roses, and always with a characteristic Italian volatile acidity lift, as is the low pigment grape skins, which gives wines made from Nebbiolo a paler red colour.
Nebbiolo is sensitive to the terroir in which it is grown and is great for expressing the finest vineyard sites. In Italy, the majority of plantings are in the province of Cuneo, especially in the communes of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Barolo and Barbaresco calcareous marl soils on the are famous for producing some of italy’s finest and most long-lived red wines. There are not many plantings of note outside Italy.
Typical Blends and Winemaking
Nebbiolo is always made as a varietal wine. Long post-fermentation maceration is common to extract and develop the grape variety’s high level of tannins. For maturation, a variety of oak barrels, including large seasoned Slavonian oak casks and small French oak barrels are popular choices, because of the micro-oxygenating effect which helps soften Nebbiolo’s tannins.
Nebbiolo (100%)
Typical aromas and flavours
Cherry, rose, leather, cherry (sour), anise, cranberry, black tea, leather, tar.
Food matching
Nebbiolo works well with a variety of meats including premium cuts and origins such as filet steak, Wagyu, Kobi, and also game including duck, pigeon, hare, and pheasant. The subtle herbaceous and earthy aromatics, makes Nebbiolo extremely well suited to tomato-based sauces, and grilled Mediterranean vegetables, mushrooms, and in particular truffles. Steak tartare also works wonder alongside a good Nebbiolo as does risotto and pasta dishes especially when accessorized with some of the beforementioned. Mild cheeses like hard cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk are also a good match.
