Nebbiolo
Also called Chiavennasca, Picotendro, Prünent, Spanna.
The grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco, and the fussiest thing in Piedmont. It buds early, ripens last, and wants the marl and sandstone hills of the Langhe facing the right way or it gives you nothing. In the glass it's pale garnet and looks light, then arrives with high acid and a wall of drying tannin. Tar and roses is the old description and it is accurate. With ten years it turns to leather, truffle, camphor and dried cherry.
Worth knowing
The colour lies. It is one of the palest serious reds in the world and one of the most tannic, and it browns at the rim while it is still young. Almost nowhere outside a narrow band of northwest Italy has ever made it work.
Where it is allowed28 appellations
Piedmont23
- AlbaDOClead grape70-85%Still hunting
- AlbugnanoDOClead grapemin 85%Still hunting
- BarbarescoDOCGlead grapeStill hunting
- Barbera d'AlbaDOCStill hunting
- BaroloDOCGlead grapeStill hunting
- BocaDOClead grapeSpanna, 70-90%Still hunting
- BramaterraDOClead grapeSpanna, 50-80%Still hunting
- CanaveseDOClead grapeStill hunting
- CaremaDOClead grapePicotendro, min 85%Still hunting
- Colline NovaresiDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Colline SaluzzesiDOCStill hunting
- Coste della SesiaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- FaraDOClead grapeStill hunting
- GattinaraDOCGlead grapeSpanna, min 90%Still hunting
- GhemmeDOCGlead grapeSpanna, min 85%Still hunting
- LangheDOClead grapeStill hunting
- LessonaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- MonferratoDOCStill hunting
- Nebbiolo d'AlbaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- RoeroDOCGlead grapered, min 95%Still hunting
- SizzanoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Terre AlfieriDOCGlead grapemin 85%Still hunting
- Valli OssolaneDOClead grapeStill hunting