Nebbiolo - Piedmont
A popular legend explains the origin of Nebbiolo. A monk had a small garden near his hut. He also tended a vineyard that just produced enough wine for his personal consumption. One morning, he found the garden and vineyard were hidden by a thick fog. He thought this was a sign that the Lord was angry with him and ceased cultivating the earth to dedicate himself to prayer. When the harvest time arrived, he was rewarded by the fog dissipating and revealing clusters of ripe grapes that gleamed like gems in the sunlight so he named them after the mists. Nebbiolo translates to “Foggy One”.
Nebbiolo is a member of the triad of Italy’s finest wines the others are Barolo and Barbaresco which are all made from the Nebbiolo grapes.
It is grown in Lombardy and Piedmont Southwest of Alba.
There are only 3000 acres dedicated to Nebbiolo, probably due to how picky it is about its location. It must be grown where there is morning fog and warm sunny days, so it is mainly grown on slopes with Northern and Eastern exposure. It is very hard to grow and is considered the “most labor intensive grape”.
Nebbiolo is typically harvested in October after a long ripening. It is not typically blended with other varietals.
It must be aged a minimum of 24 months and can continue to develop in flavor for decades. It is mostly aged in oak to help mellow its fruit.
The reward for the patience needed to grow this grape is high. Because it is such a magnificent wine, people are willing to pay top dollar for it. Prices are usually upwards of $65.00.
Younger wines made with Nebbiolo tend to have cherry, chocolate, raisin and herb flavors.
Older wines (minimum of 3 years aging) taste more of truffles, earth, licorice and smoke.
Wines made from these grapes pair well with the hearty Northern Italian cuisine, matching the intensity of ragouts, red meats, stews and Sottocenere, a cow’s milk cheese aged with slices of black truffle throughout it.
Comments