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.

Showing 401 Delicious Wines!

Show out of stock items

Oddero Barbaresco ‘Gallina’ 2019

Nebbiolo | Neive, Italy

Oddero are doing such a wonderful job with this vineyard! Youthful and in need of a decant if you crack it young. Everything is there and in the right places. Energetic, vibrant red fruits, with a pleasant grip, hints of tar and an expressive perfume. Loads of fun to be had here. The best Barbaresco's from 2019 make for exhilarating drinking. Paul Kaan, WINE DECODED The 2019 Barbaresco Gallina is a very pretty, effusive wine. Crushed raspberry, flowers, mint and sweet pipe tobacco a

$120

$115ea in any 3+

$110ea in any 6+

Delicious, Elegant and Sophisticated!

A & G Fantino, Cascina Dardi Riserva Barolo 2016

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

Alessandro looked after the Bartolo-Mascarello vineyards & wines for 20years! We're talking one of the cult producers of Barolo! Personality+++ An elegance here, perfume lifting from the glass. Savoury with a splash of chocolate, black tea, blood orange wrapped around a core of bright red fruits. This is just divine drinking right now. A demonstration in just how well young Barolo can drink. Well through puberty, excellent development, plenty of intrigue, layered aromas drawing you in. Li

$120

$115ea in any 3+

$110ea in any 6+

E. Pira (Chiara Boschis) Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

From Ravera in Monforte. As the vines age they will make Barolo! From Ravera in Monforte, this is made from the youngest vines (that will eventually be made as Barolo) and is made the same way as her three Barolos and then aged in barriques for twelve months. As a baby Barolo, this has some serious pedigree with rich, plush fruit of red berries with crushed flowers. Hard to beat for the money and an ‘affordable’ cellaring option.

$120

$115ea in any 3+

$110ea in any 6+

Barale Barbaresco ‘Serraboella’ 2019

Nebbiolo | Neive, Italy

They understand the rule book so have thrown it away only to be used when they know they need to. I guess that's what 150 years of making wine can give you! The 2016 of this was a cracker. True to the vintage & site with bold yet refined structure. The 2019 is again a cracker and true to vintage. This time all grace and elegance from what is proving a classic year. Beautifully weighted, the body of this slightly warmer vineyard with the clarity and sophistication of 2019 Barbaresco. Rich

$121

$116ea in any 3+

$111ea in any 6+

Barale Barbaresco ‘Serraboella’ 2020

Nebbiolo | Neive, Barbaresco

A bolder year than 2019 with thirst quenching fine acid and fresh fruit with an underlying richness. It’s the tannins here that shine. Not a lick of oak here. Epic quality long even with excellent fruit and tannin length. The flow through the range is just so impressive. Slatey with a little dark edge. Red dark cherry a little spice and orange zest. Here Barbaresco is on show with its incisive tannins with a clearly bolder version Serraboella on show. Delicious. ***Due 2nd Half August 202

$122

$117ea in any 3+

$112ea in any 6+

Barale Barolo del Commune di Barolo 2019

Nebbiolo | Italy, Barolo

The 2018 is an impressive wine. Equally the 2019 has lovely flow, gently building a beautiful mid-weight wine of harmony and sophistication. Simply so easy to devour. A light dusting of delicate mid-palate tannin. Sour cherry, a lick of cocoa, savoury with a little salty blood. Divine. Lovely perfume, beautifully developed whilst retaining excellent energy and freshness. The fruit for this wine comes from Castellero, Preda and Coste di Rose in the Commune of Barolo. ***Due 2nd Half August

$122

$117ea in any 3+

$112ea in any 6+

Paolo Scavino Barolo 2019

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Italy

Scavino’s 2019 Barolo is a very pretty, classically-built wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, white pepper and chalk give the 2019 an attractive upper register of brightness to match its taut, mid-weight personality. This is a rare straight Barolo that will benefit from a bit of time in bottle. Drink 2024-2031 Antonio Galloni, Vinous 90 Points The Paolo Scavino 2019 Barolo (with Enrico Scavino's signature on the front label) was a little slow to open and showed some reducti

$122

$117ea in any 3+

$112ea in any 6+

Fratelli Alessandria Commune di Verduno Barolo 2017

Nebbiolo | Verduno, Barolo

The 1st Commune di Verduno Barolo from Fratelli Alessandria! This is a hero statement for the 2017 vintage! Well played my friends, well played! The first 100% Verduno Barolo from Fratelli Alessandria and it’s a beauty. Take the Prinsiot, already excellent, add another couple of layers of development, greater depth of tannin and you’re through the first couple of chapters of this book. A lot going on here. Complex, earthy truffle pops, dark fruit, long linear palate with exceptional mid-pala

$123

$118ea in any 3+

$113ea in any 6+

Feel the La Morra!

Giovanni Sordo Barolo CORK 2016

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

From the Perfume of Barbaresco, the Barolo shifts to a savoury, earthy profile, the richness of La Morra fruit shining through! 80% La Morra. Immediate generosity has it open for action but so much more. A little chocolate and little coffee, savoury bits on dark fruit. There is a lot going on here with layers of flavours and tannins. The depth and length are impressive. Wonderful harmony and presence. Full, dense and obviously really bright. Rose, maraschino, fleshy red plum/red prune. More

$125

$120ea in any 3+

$115ea in any 6+

Cogno Barolo ‘Cascina Nuova’ 2016

Nebbiolo | Novello, Italy

A very pretty entry-level offering from Elvio Cogno. Bright red berry and lifted floral notes pair nicely with the wine's gracious, mid-weight feel. Silky tannins match the wine's finely sculpted, saline-infused personality. I've been watching Cogno for a while now. Cogno's wines are down the traditional wine with modern fermentation tech, stainless steel. The wines are clean, not clinical, the élévage, largely time in large old wood makes for beautifully developed wines. Fine and feminine, th

$125

$120ea in any 3+

$115ea in any 6+

Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabajà 2017

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

🍇RABAJÀ RABAJÀ RABAJÀ 🇮🇹 There’s a thread through Cortese’s wines of being well composed. 2017 Rabaja shows an edge to the tannins that sits in line with the fruit weight and well come together nicely in the next couple of years. The aroma and flavour of Cortese Rabaja have a certain harmony to them that draws you in. There’s a lot to like here. Dark cherry and liquorice are play with hits of blood orange and tea. Perfume is intoxicating. It’s the purity and translucence that

$125

$120ea in any 3+

$115ea in any 6+

Domenico Clerico Barolo 2017

Nebbiolo | Monforte d'Alba, Italy

A massive surprise, the oak is no longer the dominant feature of the Clerico wines. Hoo fucken’ ray! We have balance! I can see fruit, I can see the Commune and I can happily swallow the beverage and want to go back for another sniff. I couldn’t even say that about the 2016’s. So what’s going on? Domenico did so much to help revitalise Barolo, it would however be fair to say that after the early revolution, evolution was very slow. The wines often dominated by overt oak and tough tannins

$125

$120ea in any 3+

$115ea in any 6+

Luigi Pira Barolo del Commune di Serralunga 2019

Nebbiolo | Serralunga d'Alba, Barolo

I recall being impressed by Pira's 2018 Langhe Nebbiolo a couple of years on and the Barolo 'Commune di Serralunga' is impressing too! Openning in the glass with vibrant red fruits, tea, a little earthiness, slate, licorice and more. The layered density of the fruit with zippy acid has you salivating for more. The tannins are composed and front, mid-palate dominant, that slate comes through here to. Tight at the moment with 3-5 years it should fall into place, the juicy acid marry into the wine

$125

$120ea in any 3+

$115ea in any 6+

SCREW CAP Bottling for 🇦🇺

Giovanni Sordo Barolo SCREW CAP 2016

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

From the Perfume of Barbaresco, the Barolo shifts to a savoury, earthy profile, the richness of La Morra fruit shining through! 80% La Morra. Immediate generosity has it open for action but so much more. A little chocolate and little coffee, savoury bits on dark fruit. There is a lot going on here with layers of flavours and tannins. The depth and length are impressive. Wonderful harmony and presence. Full, dense and obviously really bright. Rose, maraschino, fleshy red plum/red prune. More

$125

$120ea in any 3+

$115ea in any 6+

Marcarini Barolo ‘La Serra’ 2016

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

'La Morra is most often a horror zone for me when it comes to Barolo, fine light wines, beefed up with way too much oak. Marcarini is one of the beautiful exceptions to that. So fine, and finely etched. Red fruits, roses, mint, almond, subtle five spice perfume. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and precise, fine brick dust and peppery tannin, quiet succulence of strawberry and other red fruits, spice and liquorice root, long cool finish. So lovely. Energy and charm. Love this wine. And there’s more

$126

$121ea in any 3+

$116ea in any 6+

🇮🇹A Vajra Classic 🍷

Vajra Barolo ‘Albe’ 2016

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo (sub-region)

If you were to consider the entire portfolio of wines made in the Barolo appellation, this wine always stands in its own little corner. Albe is a brand on its own, and it represents one of the most versatile, accessible and well-priced Baroli to emerge from the appellation. The G.D. Vajra 2016 Barolo Albe sets off on the right foot, offering forthcoming intensity with forest fruit, wild cherry, crushed stone and blue flowers. Winemaking is straightforward in stainless steel, and the wine finishe

$127

$122ea in any 3+

$117ea in any 6+