Varietal Decoded – Nebbiolo!


Nebbiolo, pronounced NEH-bee-oh-low, is such a unique variety.
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. Look for the quality and depth of tannin.

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.

Looking for a Nebbiolo? Check these out. If there’s something else you want call us on 1300 811 066 or Request a Wine Here. We have access to an incredible array of tasty Nebbiolo!

Check out all the Nebbiolo Here!

Benevelli Piero Langhe Nebbiolo 2022

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

The Perfect intro to Nebbiolo from Italy! It's got all the complexity & style of good Neb. The Neb-Heads GO MENTAL! Varieties like Nebbiolo and Pinot can take a bit to get your head around. Sometimes you just need the right wine to kick you off. This does the job nicely. From one of the greatest Nebbiolo growing regions in the world Monforte! Year in year out this is has been the best value Neb in our portfolio. Always a great perfume a little spice, a wicked core cherry of fruit. Depth and l
$43.50
$41.5ea in any 3+
$39.5ea in any 6+
A Baby Neb from the Family that Brought us the 8 Cru's, Sordo! This is your New House Neb! Along with Benevelli's Langhe Neb this is Australia's new house Neb! Grown on the sunny and steep vineyards of the Roero region in between the left bank of the Tanaro river and the nearby Langhe region. It sees 9 months in large old oak before a short spell in tank and some bottle time. Bags of fun! A beautiful fragrance with a backbone of juicy fruit. Nice élévage sees it drinking beautifully now. Th
$51
$48ea in any 3+
$45ea in any 6+

Boasso Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Nebbiolo | Serralunga d'Alba, Barolo

Without a doubt one of the best value Nebbiolos on our list! Seriously good Langhe. Really strong core of fruit here. Structured and beautifully so. Dark and brooding with tea, perfumed with flowers rose. Now the best value Nebbiolo on the market. All Serralunga fruit. Long fine and layered. Will build over time Great elevage. A whole load of fun for not a lot of coin! Did you miss out? 😭 Fear not we have the GIOSA to save the day! Grab a box!
$54
$51ea in any 3+
$48ea in any 6+

Albino Rocca Nebbiolo d’Alba 2019

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Italy

Excellent perfume, great delicacy with deceptive weight, sophisticated, feminine, long fine texture, slatey delicious tannins. Savoury dark edge. Delicious thirst quenching excellent elevage. Fun wine. Fine excellent cherries.
$55
$52ea in any 3+
$49ea in any 6+

Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

The Perfect Way to Get an Early Read on the 2021 Vintage! Vajra make such a pretty Langhe Neb. Playful with a little serious undertone. The 2021 is looking very good, perfumed, floral, fine & harmonised. Excellent flow and shape. Love the zip on the acid , the development and florals. Beautifully weighted with fine tannins of quality wrapping an excellent core of fruit. Great drinking. The magic 8 ball thinks Vintage 2021 will be tasty! This wine is our quest for the innocence of Nebbio
$56
$53ea in any 3+
$50ea in any 6+

Vajra Langhe DOC Nebbiolo Claré J.C. 2022

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

Claré J.C. is a Nebbiolo made according to a 1606 note from the House of Savoia jeweler Gian Battista Croce. This wine is a time-capsule into an era when Nebbiolo wines tasted fresher, lifted and slightly crisp. This is a wine for people who are young, brave at heart and curious about Piemonte forgotten past.  Giuseppe Vaira The name, Claré J.C., pays homage to Thomas Jefferson – who visited Piemonte in 1787 and described Nebbiolo “dry as a claret, sweet and lingering as Madeira, brisk
$56
$53ea in any 3+
$50ea in any 6+

Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

Nebbiolo | Barolo, Italy

Perfumed and dark with a with great presence on palate. Dusty chalky tannins matched with an excellent core of fruit! Perfumed and dark with a with great presence on palate. Dusty chalky tannins matched with an excellent core of fruit. Anise and tar with a little pleasant snappiness. The tannins sit on the edgy side of the spectrum. Overall a cracker Langhe of good value.
$57
$55ea in any 3+
$53ea in any 6+

Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

Nebbiolo | Barolo, Italy

Perfumed energetic red fruits. Dusty chalky tannins matched with an excellent core of fruit! Perfumed energetic red fruits. Dusty chalky tannins matched with an excellent core of fruit! There's a delicacy to the fruit with a edgy bent to the tannins that perhaps have another layer compared to the 2018. Liking the development here. Fun place to play in the Neb world!
$57
$54ea in any 3+
$51ea in any 6+

Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo 2020

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

A great way to introduce both Nebbiolo & Poderi Oddero to your MOUTH! Tasted this with Pietro Oddero @ WINE DECODED HQ, Nov 2022 This is not meant to be a baby Barolo, it will pants many a Barolo! As has been the case with every vintage of this wine I've drunk so far, it has a wonderful perfumed, energetic red fruits and excellent flow across the palate. One of the biggest differences between vintages tends to be the tannins and the texture. The 2020 plush and fine. Try this over a few days!
$57
$54ea in any 3+
$51ea in any 6+

Giovanni Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Nebbiolo | Serralunga d'Alba, Barolo

Near a decaded ago Giovanni Rosso's Langhe Nebbiolo was the very first wine I tried from the estate. It enchanted then just as the 2021 impresses now! It has the hallmarks of all of Rosso's Nebbiolos: energy, balance, harmony, a caressing texture, restraint & purity. The winemaking here is considered and clever. The tannins are perfectly matched to the mid-weight core of fruit. Showing a level of complexity well beyond its classification flowers, earthiness red and darker fruits with a li
$59
$56ea in any 3+
$53ea in any 6+

Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

Nebbiolo | Serralunga d'Alba, Italy

A great way to get your eye in on the 2019 vintage! Looks good lovely acid. Fine perfume slatey tannins. Fresh vital sour cherry fruit. A little fresh orange citrus, earthy macerative characters. Excellent thirst quenching nebbiolo. 10-12 days maceration + 15month post Malo. Best one I’ve seen from Massolino. So pretty.
$60
$57ea in any 3+
$54ea in any 6+
Verduno Fruit
Trying Langhe Neb's made with fruit from just one Commune is a great way to dial into the characteristics of that Commune The Langhe Nebbiolo is a the perfect intro to the Nebbiolo range from Alessandria. “Prinsiòt”, a Piedmontese dialect noun that means little princes, it’s the historical nickname given to our family by the inhabitants of Verduno. This Nebbiolo, that takes origin in the vineyards “Sotto Orti”, “Campasso” and “Neirane” all in Verduno. The 2020 is taug
$60
$57ea in any 3+
$54ea in any 6+

Giuseppe Cortese Langhe Nebbiolo 2020

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

A Langhe Nebb made from young vine Rabajà .. Yes it's true! Always a fun wine. Elegant and juicy fruited, with solid core of fruit wrapped in chewy tannins. It’s a playful Langhe. The 2020 sits true to pedigree. Perfumed with a savoury twang, a little orange. Loads of fun to be had here. Always better after an extra year in bottle & a good decant. Will reward 2-5 years patience. Even his Langhe Neb is young vine Rabajà!
$60
$57ea in any 3+
$54ea in any 6+

Praeter Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

La Morra Fruit from the Vineyards of Luigi Oddero! Declassified Barolo! Not for quality, but, for the shorter ageing timeframe. BOOM! We're seeing more and more whole bunch wine coming out of Barolo. Matt whole bunch skills with Pinot made for a confident hand playing with fruit from La Morra. End results are a beautiful wine, it's really quite delicate for a La Morra. The whole bunch has elicited a fine perfume over vibrant fruit, little hints of spice. The tannins have a little edge of grip, i
$61
$58ea in any 3+
$55ea in any 6+
Verduno Fruit
Trying Langhe Neb's made with fruit from just one Commune is a great way to dial into the characteristics of that Commune The Langhe Nebbiolo is a the perfect intro to the Nebbiolo range from Alessandria. “Prinsiòt”, a Piedmontese dialect noun that means little princes, it’s the historical nickname given to our family by the inhabitants of Verduno. This Nebbiolo, that takes origin in the vineyards “Sotto Orti” , “Campasso” and “Neirane” all in Verduno. A perfume of ro
$61
$57ea in any 3+
$53ea in any 6+

Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

The Perfect Way to Get an Early Read on the 2019 Vintage! Vajra make such a pretty Langhe Neb. Playful with a little serious undertone, the same layered tannin at it's level as came through in the 2019 Burlotto. Violets and flowers, bright crunchy fruit, a hit of baking spice. An edge to the mouthfeel that sits nicely with a wave of fresh fennel and a splash of aniseed. Loads of fun to be had here! The magic 8 ball thinks Vintage 2019 will be tasty! This wine is our quest for the innocence of N
$61
$58ea in any 3+
$55ea in any 6+
Verduno Fruit
Trying Langhe Neb's made with fruit from just one Commune is a great way to dial into the characteristics of that Commune The Langhe Nebbiolo is a the perfect intro to the Nebbiolo range from Alessandria. “Prinsiòt”, a Piedmontese dialect noun that means little princes, it’s the historical nickname given to our family by the inhabitants of Verduno. This Nebbiolo, that takes origin in the vineyards “Sotto Orti” , “Campasso” and “Neirane” all in Verduno. Cracking P1SS.
$61
$57ea in any 3+
$53ea in any 6+
NEXT SHIPMENT MARCH 2024

Borgogno Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

Great drinking here, fine, long, even, and harmonious. Beautifully weighted and long. The texture and level of development have this looking like a very complete wine! Cherry, almond, spice, plenty of fragrance here, liquorice root, and a little new leather. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and lively, pops with red fruit and supple dusty tannin, a little rose oil in the mix, and a ferrous/stony finish of quiet succulence and excellent length. Classic.  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front 93+ Point
$61
$58ea in any 3+
$55ea in any 6+
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Vietti ‘Perbacco’ Langhe Nebbiolo 2020

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

Two of the best value Neb's on the market have to be Vietti's Castiglione Barolo and this wine Vietti's Perbacco! The 2020 Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco is another terrific entry-level wine from Vietti. In this vintage, the Perbacco is especially fine. Sweet dried cherry, herbs, mint, crushed flowers, anise and orange peel grace this striking, alluring Nebbiolo. There's tons of depth and sheer pedigree, things that have not always been present in recent editions. For years, Perbacco was a very seriou
$61
$58ea in any 3+
$55ea in any 6+

Vietti ‘Perbacco’ Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barbaresco

Galloni's interpretation intrigues. The knowledge of the Monforte component in the blend partially explains the bold nature of the tannins. I suspect there are pressings from the Cru Barolos in here. It will require a little patience to unfurl, relax and show its full potential. All of the components are there. Time will see them dial into the right levels, the superb core of fruit develop and the tannins soften. Aromas of grape marc, earthiness, and a little spice wraps dark & brood
$61
$58ea in any 3+
$55ea in any 6+

Check out all the Nebbiolo Here!

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