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 Cerequio DOCG 2020 Michele Chiarlo

Valtellina Superiore DOCG Grumello Rocca De Piro 2022 ArPePe

Barolo DOCG Arborina 2022 Elio Altare

Barolo DOCG Cerretta 2020 Giovanni Rosso

Gattinara DOCG 2020 Torraccia del Piantavigna

Barolo DOCG Comune di Barolo 2020 Marchesi di Barolo

Barolo DOCG Arborina 2021 Mauro Veglio

Langhe DOC Sito Moresco 2023 Gaja

Barolo DOCG 2019 L'Astemia Pentita

Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC Spumante Metodo Classico Rosé 2022 Beni di Batasiolo

Barolo DOCG Rocche di Castiglione 2020 Giovanni Sordo

Barolo DOCG Castellero 2021 Giacomo Fenocchio

Barolo DOCG Arione 2021 Giacomo Conterno

Barbaresco DOCG Albesani Santo Stefano 2022 Castello di Neive

Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata DOCG 2021 Renato Ratti

Valtellina Superiore DOCG Sassella Riserva Ultimi Raggi 2018 ArPePe

Barolo DOCG Liste 2019 Borgogno

Barbaresco DOCG Reyna 2021 Michele Chiarlo

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