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.

Langhe DOC Nebbiolo 2023 Fortemasso

Gattinara DOCG 2022 Nervi Conterno

Barbaresco DOCG 2021 Ceretto

Barolo Villero DOCG 2021 Oddero Poderi e Cantine

Barolo DOCG Comune di Barolo Essenze 2018 Vite Colte

Barolo DOCG 2018 Casa E. di Mirafiore

Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC Bernardina 2023 Ceretto

Barolo DOCG 2019 L'Astemia Pentita

Barolo DOCG Cannubi 2018 L'Astemia Pentita

Barolo DOCG Cerretta 2020 Giovanni Rosso

Barbaresco DOCG Martinenga 2020 Marchesi di Gresy

Barolo Monvigliero DOCG 2020 Bel Colle

Barolo DOCG 2021 Gemma

Valtellina Superiore Grumello DOCG Nebbiolo 2021 Nino Negri

Barbaresco DOCG Bernardot 2020 Ceretto

Barolo DOCG Riserva Ravera 2017 Lo Zoccolaio

Barolo DOCG Lecinquevigne 2020 Damilano

Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC Ruj 2023 San Silvestro