Unpacking with Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is the Pablo Picasso among grapes: nicely opinionated, a tad tricky, but at the same time integrating, one-of-a-kind and addictive. This primal Italian is only too happy to let you join a festive dinner. Unwrap it! - TEXT EVELIJN VAN HEUVEN

Perhaps nebbiolo is still an unfamiliar name? It is the grape behind some of the world's greatest wines. For this, we travel to the far north-west of Italy, to the region of Piedmont, which borders France and Switzerland. Because, as itinerant as most grapes are, nebbiolo mainly sticks to its native region. In the heart of Piedmont, filled with Tuscany-like rolling hills and medieval villages, lie the vineyards of Barolo. This is where the wines come from that are inextricably linked to the grape. Indeed, Barolos are always made 100 per cent from nebbiolo. They are quite chivalrously also called 'The wine of kings, the king of wines'. But nebbiolo is more than Barolo. Nebbiolo is also the backbone of Barbaresco, the grape that gives the Langhe its name, Nebbiolo is that unforgettable dinner guest, a great truffle fan, but also the wine with those distinctive flavours and tannins.

Flaming cocktail

Before we delve deeper into specific Nebbiolos, let's have a high-overhead characterisation. What makes Nebbiolo distinctive? What can you expect so much of? First, its appearance, which quickly reveals that you can tick off many wines. Nebbiolos are relatively bright, somewhat reminiscent of Pinot Noirs, but often with a more brick-like glow. Stick your nose in the glass, and you smell cherries, rose hips, strawberries, rose petals, wet autumn leaves, forest floor and tar, but sometimes also some tea, leather and truffle.

Want to know more about Nebbiolo? You can read about it in the latest Winelife 74. You can order this one here!

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