Nebbiolo is a tannic and acidic red grape used in northern Italy to make some of the region’s most inspired wines, such as Barolo and Barbaresco. Poorly constructed Nebbiolo wines are uninteresting, but newer wineries are making fruitier wines with wider appeal. Nebbiolo wines age well and exhibit earthy, musty flavors with floral notes and hints of mint. Grappa di Barolo is a spirit made from the leftovers of a pressing.
Nebbiolo is a red grape used in northern Italy to make some of the region’s most inspired wines. It is a tannic and acidic wine, and as such a really well made variety can age to a maturity worth the price. Most of the wines made from this grape are, to put it bluntly, pretty bad. If constructed poorly, it can be a completely uninteresting wine, with strong and decisive flavors that greet the palate in an approximate way and leave little room for development. For this reason, it is rare to find this grape grown anywhere other than northern Italy, and no winery outside this region has yet produced a Nebbiolo-centered wine of any renown.
Within northern Italy, however, there are two regions that are particularly famous for their display of this grape. Both Barolo and Barbaresco wines are made with Nebbiolo – Barolo uses only this grape, while Barbaresco occasionally adds a small amount of another grape. Barolo is hailed by many as the great Italian wine. Because of the heavy tannin found in the grapes, Barolos are almost always extremely tannic wines. Those who love wine and are willing to let a Barolo age properly will find that this grape produces incredible and complex wines.
Some newer wineries, and some established wineries with a modern bent, are starting to use Nebbiolo to make fruitier wines that have wider appeal – particularly in the New World, where strongly tannic wines are less accepted. To do this, the wines are only allowed to ferment for a very short time, so as not to wet too many tannins from the skins. They are also often placed in newer French oak barrels. These newly developed Nebbiolos are often compared to lighter Burgundy or Pinot Noir.
The wines obtained from this variety begin their life very dark and as they mature they gradually develop a lighter, almost orange hue. The bouquet of a Nebbiolo tends towards fruit, especially summer berries and jam preserves. Flavorwise, a good vintage exhibits earthy, musty flavors with floral notes and hints of mint. A fine Nebbiolo wine from a region such as Barbaresco or Barolo should be aged for at least five to ten years after release. Most are built to age substantially longer than this, with some hitting the first few decades after being bottled.
Nebbiolo can also be made into a spirit called grappa di Barolo. This spirit is usually made from the leftovers of a pressing. After a few years of aging, it becomes a smoother and more respectable alcohol.
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