Nebbiolo
The Nebbiolo grape is the best and noblest red grape variety in Italy.
Because the grape ripens very slowly, it is harvested as the very last of all varieties in the 2nd half of October or even the 1st week of November. The name is probably also derived from the word “nebbia” or mist, which fills the valleys in Piedmont around this time in the morning. the king” among the Italian grape varieties. Possibly this is partly due to the connection with the most famous wine from this grape, the Barolo, which is also called “Wine of Kings and King of wines”.
ORIGIN
Although the grape has probably been cultivated for centuries in Piedmont, the rise and great fame started in the mid-19th century. Then the French winemaker Louis Oudart was asked to improve the quality of the local wine. He discovered that the fermentation process could be improved by, among other things, applying the so-called “malolactic fermentation”, and that the grape was then very suitable for making dry wine: until then Barolo was mainly a sweet wine.
IN THE VINEYARD
Because the Nebbiolo ripens very slowly, it really only needs to be on the hottest slopes with more or less southern exposure. And not on the higher parts of the hills, but up to about 450 m above sea level. Certainly, also because the Nebbiolo typically has a fairly high content of tannins, especially in the skin. If the grapes do not mature well, the tannins remain unripe, green and hard, and unfortunately this does not improve with long bottle ripening.
COLOR, ODOR AND TASTE
Because of these tannins, nebbiolo wine is often matured on wood to make the wine softer and rounder. But even then, it is always a wine that has noticeable tannins and a lot of structure, especially when it is young. Almost all wines of the nebbiolo benefit from bottle aging, sometimes only a few years, but the crus 10-20 years or even (much) more.
Characteristic of the taste are notes of red fruit, in particular raspberries, floral notes such as violets and geraniums, rose petals, and earthy notes such as (forest) soil, mushrooms and tar. Another very recognizable feature is its color: Nebbiolo has relatively little color, has a brown-red color and tends to lose color quickly with aging (tanning)
FOOD AND DRINK
Because of its strength and structure, wine from the Nebbiolo grape can generally be best drunk alongside something to eat (the best protein-rich), certainly when it is not very old. Classic combinations are with fried and roasted red meat but especially with game. Real autumn and winter wines and a good cru nebbiolo is often the ideal companion to a beautiful Christmas dinner.