Red Wine

Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo, pronounced NEH-bee-oh-low, is such a unique variety. The name is derived from the Italian word Nebbia meaning fog.

Two theories for the name exist. The first that it refers to the fog that the vineyards of the Langhe are often immersed in. Second that the natural bloom that covers the grapes gives them a foggy appearance. Given the latter applies to most red grapes I prefer the former! There are 4 main clones of which Nebbiolo Lampia dominates over  Nebbiolo Michet, Rosé (now proven to be a different variety), and, Bolla.

Where is it grown?

Southern central and north Piemonte. The two big guns here are Barolo and Barbaresco. It is grown throughout the Langhe including the Roero, Asti, Carema, Biella, Novara and Vercelli. In Alto Piedmonte, it is known as Spanna, and, is often blended with Croatina and Vespolina. We have seen Giacomo Conterno buy Nervi in the Commune of Gattinara to produce wines in the region. It is also grown in the lower parts of the Valle d’Aosta where it is known as Picotendroi, and, Valtellina in Lombardy where it is called Chiavennasca among others.

What does it taste like?

The ultimate case of not judging a book by its cover, Nebbiolo, at first appears pale in colour, old wines can have the appearance of rusty tap water.

Then you smell it! The aroma of most red wines is dominated by fruit characters. In contrast, Nebbiolo’s aroma is typically a mix of complex secondary aromas, earthy, tarry, spice, rose, citrus peel, woody herbs like rosemary, liquorice, phenol, dark chocolate, tobacco, truffles, leather, and, dark cherry fruit, often more evident on the palate. You’ll see this difference immediately by comparing it two the other two main Piedmontese varieties Barbera and Dolcetto.

Good Nebbiolo has a core of fruit running the length of your tongue, along with layers of those same secondary characters. Nebbiolo’s grape tannins give it a distinct texture, that for those who have not tried it before can seem hard, and, unyielding. Look for the quality and depth of tannin.

Achieving well balance tannin, alcohol, and, acidity makes for great Nebbiolo.

More than most other Italian wines, Nebbiolo, demands food to be at its best. A little fat and salt, enhance the texture and bring out the flavours.

Check out all the articles in the Wine Bites Mag exploring Nebbiolo.

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Showing 392 Delicious Wines!

The Rocce Rosse has a darker feel. Currently, I perceive it as a little richer with an extra squirt of tannin to hold it. Dark spiced, long firm yet fine tannins. Like the Nuova Regina and Sant’Antonio it lingers for some time. Again there is real beauty here. It unfolds in the glass revealing layer after layer. Incredible, complete wine of exceptional balance. It is unfair to separate the two Sassella, they are both stunning. Drinking the pair together on any given night over the next 1
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Once again my preferred Grumello from Ar.Pe.Pe. A build in perceived fruit weight length and depth over the Bon Consiglio with immediate generosity make for superb drinking out of the gate. Comparing this to the 2009 consumed a couple of weeks ago I foresee this building in complexity from an already complex starting point and achieving the incredible transparency of the 2009 as it moves into the next stage of development. Although it will be hard to keep your hands off it! The church of
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Late harvest quasi sforzato play here. There’s fun to be had here. ArPePe play in between a full-blown sforzato and the rest of their Riserva range makes for a fun balance. Completely dry, it introduces a level of richness and extra layer of tannin. Gary's note captures it well. Harvest is November 10th, because they leave the grapes to dry out and shrivel a little. It’s from the highest part of Sassella, sitting at 600m above sea level.  Cherry, blackberry, plum, dried mint,
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One of the many highlights in this range, the Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is superb. A big enrobing wine, the Montestefano wraps around the palate with stunning depth. Today, the Montestefano is utterly embryonic, and yet it exudes depth, resonance and pure class. The Montestefano is one of the more complete wines in the range because of the way it deftly balances fruit intensity and structure. Readers will have to be patient, though. Galloni
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The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is one of the most intriguing wines in this range. My impression is that the 2015 still has quite a bit to say, but this is Montefico, where the wines are slow to reveal themselves. White pepper, dried herbs, dried red cherry and mint add a super-appealing upper register. This is such a compelling Barbaresco. Galloni
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The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano rounds out this series of wines from Produttori del Barbaresco. Ample and resonant on the palate, the Montestefano shows all the natural breadth that is so typical of this site. On the palate, the Montestefano is rich and explosive, with tremendous depth and fabulous overall balance. Dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and spice build into the dark, sumptuous finish. Galloni
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Just as it did over the summer, the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota continues to impress. Bold and ample on the palate, with terrific fruit density, the 2015 offers a heady concoction of dark cherry, plum, licorice, smoke, spice and leather that flesh out in the glass. This is a terrific showing for the Muncagota, usually one of the less complex wines in the Produttori's range of nine Riservas. Galloni
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Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva ‘Ovello’ 2015

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

One of the stand outs in this range, the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello shows the energy and tension that are so typical of this site, but with a slightly riper profile than is the norm. Then again, we are talking about 2015. Although perhaps not the most classic expression of Ovello, the Produttori's 2015 is very nicely done. Best of all, it will drink well with just a few more years in bottle. This is an especially heady, exotic Ovello Barbaresco that needs to shed some baby fat, its considera
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Nervi-Conterno Gattinara 2017

Nebbiolo | Italy, Gattinara

Amazing transparency, sophistication shining though. The 2017 Gattinara is terrific. It will also give readers something to drink without waiting decades. In 2017, the Gattinara is a bit richer than it often is - the result of the warm dry year – but its profile is super-classic. Sweet pipe tobacco, mint, dried herbs, licorice, dried cherry and Alpine herbs fill out its ample frame effortlessly. I would give the 2017 a few years in bottle, but it won’t need more than that to start drinking w
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The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is a serious, somber wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol show off the darker side of Nebbiolo to great effect. In most vintages, Rio Sordo is an easygoing wine, but not in 2016. Readers will find a potent, brooding yet mid-weight Barbaresco that screams with character. What a way to start this tasting! Galloni
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The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is a brooding wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. Iron, smoke, tobacco, cedar and dried flowers add a feral, earthy quality that is so appealing. Pora is often one of the more approachable Riservas in this range, but the 2016 is an exception. Readers should be prepared to cellar it for at least a few years. Galloni
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Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva ‘Asili’ 2017

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

The Produttori del Barbaresco 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is distinguished by its extremely linear and direct approach with wild rose, cassis and lots of mineral or crushed stone. The wine is taut and fresh on the palate with a medium-lean texture and lots of depth and persistence. I love those bright rose petal-like nuances on the close of this wine, and the tannins are firm and silky. This bottle boasts a unique identity in this group of Riservas. Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
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Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva ‘Pora’ 2017

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pora (with 13,333 bottles released) is usually the first wine I taste each year when I review this set of Riservas from Produttori del Barbaresco. That's because it usually appears as the most delicate, and the intensity of each successive bottle increases after this one. But these schematics are a bit more difficult to align in a hot and dry vintage such as this that produced richer and more succulent fruit across the board. The Pora is redolent of red and purple fru
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The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota plays some of its best cards in terms of texture, offering silky tannins, firmness and a long-lasting veil of fruit flavors. Cassis, wild cherry, camphor ash, spice and iron ore are aromatic protagonists. This wine is lean and compact but very linear and focused. Like the other Riservas in this group of new releases, the wine is fermented in steel and aged in large oak casks for 32 months. Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
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Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva ‘Ovello’ 2017

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

One of the bigger productions (with 17,744 bottles) in the Produttori del Barbaresco's portfolio is the 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello. All of the Riservas in this vintage are characterized by especially exuberant and bold aromas, and this bottle is a prime example. Cassis, wild cherry, tobacco, rusty nail and licorice build intensity. The wine is tapered and silky in texture, but it also offers a good amount of power (and 15% alcohol) to carry it through the aging process. Monica Larner, The
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Vietti Barbaresco ‘Masseria’ 2015

Nebbiolo | Barbaresco, Italy

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo Winemaking: The grapes are harvested from vineyard located Treiso. The vineyard has a southern exposure with a mix of clay and limestone in the soil. During the alcoholic fermentation, the must will remain for approximately 3 weeks in open-top stainless-steel tanks. Daily délestages, punching downs and open-air pumping overs are actioned daily. The malolactic […]