7 things you (maybe) don't know about Nebbiolo

1. Nebbiolo is one of the noblest and oldest vines of our ampelographic heritage. It is an autochthonous grape from Piedmont, which has the characteristic of being inextricably linked to its homeland. It is grown mainly in the Langhe area to produce the famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. However, it also expresses itself very well in the Roero , on the other bank of the Tanaro, with more delicate and less structured wines .

2. Always in Piedmont it is grown with excellent results in the denominations of the north: Lessona, Boca, Bramaterra, Fara, Sizzano, Ghemme, Gattinara and Carema , where it offers wines of great finesse and elegance

3. Outside Piedmont it is grown in a few other Italian regions. In Valle d'Aosta , especially in the Donnas and Arnad Montjovet area , where it is called picoutener; in Valtellina with the name of chiavennasca and in Sardinia , in the area of Luras in Gallura , where it was brought in the 19th century during the period of Piedmontese domination of the island.

4. Attempts to cultivate it in other regions of the world, in particular in South America and California , have given rather modest results and not comparable to Piedmontese excellence In an increasingly globalized world of wine, dominated by international vines that have adapted well both in Europe and in the wine regions of the New World, nebbiolo represents an exception.

5. It is a very demanding grape from a pedoclimatic point of view. It has a long vegetative cycle, sprouts early, in the middle of April and matures in the second half of October. It prefers hilly exposures between 200 and 450 meters above sea level, preferably facing south and south-west, well sheltered from cold winds. The fresh and continental climatic conditions, with good ventilation and temperature variations both seasonal and between day and night, are fundamental to ensure a qualitative maturation of the Nebbiolo grape. It expresses well above all on soils consisting of clay-limestone marl with sandstone presence, but it has also adapted well to the lighter and more sandy Roero soils and to the richer skeleton and rock soils of upper Piedmont and Valtellina.

6. His name may also be related to the terroir . According to some it derives from the mists , which often envelop the Langhe hills , according to others, however, from the presence of abundant white bloom on the berries .

7. Traditionally, three different clones of Nebbiolo are identified : lampia, michet and rosé . In fact, michet is the result of a lampia virus, which generates plants with low yields and grapes which are particularly rich from an aromatic point of view. The rosé, on the other hand, tends to produce grapes with a light color and has been gradually abandoned. In the different areas, nebbiolo expresses itself with various nuances that highlight the characteristics of each individual terroir. An expressive richness that is nice to discover, tasting the labels of the different denominations.

Barolo DOCG Brunate 2020 Vietti

Barolo Bricco Rocche DOCG 2020 Ceretto

Langhe DOC Nubiè 2023 Lo Zoccolaio

Colline Novaresi DOC Nebbiolo Ramale 2019 Torraccia del Piantavigna

Barolo Riserva Bussia DOCG 2010 Pianpolvere Soprano

Barolo DOCG Bussia Vigna Bonfani 2014 Beni di Batasiolo

Barolo DOCG Marenca 2019 Luigi Pira

Barolo DOCG Rocche di Castiglione 2019 Ceretto

Barbaresco DOCG Asili 2020 Ceretto

Barbaresco DOCG Riserva Fausoni 2016 Prinsi

Langhe DOC Nebbiolo 2021 Elio Sandri

Barolo Riserva DOCG Runcot 2016 Elio Grasso

Barolo Brunate DOCG 2018 Vietti

Barolo DOCG Gavarini Chiniera 2017 Elio Grasso

Langhe DOC Nebbiolo 2023 Alberto Ballarin

Barolo DOCG Bricco Rocche 2020 Ceretto

Langhe Nebbiolo DOC Ginestrino 2023 Conterno Fantino

Langhe Nebbiolo DOC Reggimento 2022 Renato Ratti