Out of the Fog: Nebbiolo
Simply put, Americans don’t drink enough Nebbiolo, Italy’s most heralded red varietal.
Perhaps this is because Nebbiolo doesn’t exactly line up with the classic American palate. It produces a particularly rustic red that is naturally high in tannin and acid and typically needs age to show its true colors. Much like geniuses, they tend to be angry and cantankerous in their youth, but mature and develop into some of the most sublime, complex wines in the world. These are some of my favorite wines in the world, but they just have to be coddled. Most people don’t have the ability or patience (myself included) to cellar a wine for 20 years plus. That’s why an extended decant will help the aging process significantly by giving it a healthy dose of oxygen.
What makes this wine particularly fascinating is its inability to grow anywhere outside of northern Italy, particularly the Piedmont. People do produce Nebbiolo-based wines in other parts of the world, but the results have been painfully poor. In this sense, it is the most fickle varietal in the world.
The name Nebbiolo actually comes from the word nebbia, Italian for fog. Having just recently visited the area, I can attest that the fog is quite intense. It’s extremely dense, reminiscent of San Francisco. Most people agree that the Piedmont fog plays a pivotal role in the development of one of the most expressive, beautiful wines in the world. Nebbiolo certainly rivals the best of the best.
Recommended Wines:
Produttori del Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo
This entry-level wine is super delicious and affordable. It is a perfect gateway Nebbiolo because it is comparatively approachable, while still showing all the classic aromas
and flavors.
Ferrando, Carema
Hailing from a very small appellation in the very northern part of the Piedmont, this wine is truly magnificent and worth the search. You may find you don’t want to drink it because the nose is so overwhelmingly appealing. They should be selling this as perfume because it’s that intoxicating.
Bartolo Mascarello, Barolo
Heralded as the King of Barolo, Bartolo himself passed a few years back. They produce a very traditional style that is elegant, rustic and wildly complex, full of dried herbs and violets and tart red fruit. This is one of those producers where the wines only get better with age.
Words: Bradley Ball, sommelier
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