Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is the grape of Barolo and Barbaresco, and so the grape that everything at Barolo & Co revolves around. It is a demanding red grape that only truly succeeds in northern Italy. That is exactly why a Nebbiolo tastes so clearly of the place it comes from.
Nebbiolo at a glance
- Colour: red grape
- Origin: Piedmont
- Budburst: early April, one of the first grapes
- Flowering: June
- Veraison: August
- Harvest: October, one of the last grapes
- Pruning: Guyot
- Main wines: Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d'Alba
Name and history
The name probably comes from nebbia, fog. When Nebbiolo is harvested last in October, the autumn mist often hangs between the hills of the Langhe. Another explanation is the grey-blue bloom on the ripe berries, which looks as if mist has settled on them.
The first written mention dates from 1268, when a wine called nibiol was recorded in Rivoli near Turin. In the early 14th century the agronomist Pietro de' Crescenzi described wine from the nubiola as excellent. How precious the grape was is shown by the 15th-century statutes of La Morra: anyone who cut down a Nebbiolo vine risked a fine, the loss of a hand or, for repeat offenders, even the gallows.
Barolo as we know it today, dry and long-aged, only emerged in the 19th century. Read more in the history of Barolo and on our page about Grinzane Cavour.
In the vineyard
Nebbiolo is one of the first to bud and one of the last to be picked. That long growing season makes the grape vulnerable: night frost in April, rain during flowering or a wet autumn have a direct impact on the vintage. Nebbiolo therefore gets the best sites, the warm south- and south-west-facing slopes. There it ripens enough to bring its firm acidity and tannins into balance. The cooler slopes go to Dolcetto, Barbera or the white grapes.
The grape is also fussy about soil. On the calcareous marl of the Langhe and the sand of the Roero it gives very different wines. Read more on our page about geology and soils.
There are several types of Nebbiolo. Lampia is the most widely planted and adapts best to different soils. Michet has smaller bunches and lower yields; it once arose from a virus in Lampia. Nebbiolo Rosé was long seen as a variant, but DNA research shows it is a separate, closely related grape. It is still permitted in Barolo and Barbaresco. DNA research also showed that Nebbiolo is related to grapes such as Freisa.
The wines of Nebbiolo
The same grape makes a very different wine in Serralunga than in La Morra or in the Roero. These are the main Nebbiolo wines of Piedmont:
- Barolo DOCG: 100% Nebbiolo from eleven municipalities. At least 38 months of ageing, 18 of them in wood. Riserva: 62 months.
- Barbaresco DOCG: 100% Nebbiolo from Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso and part of Alba. At least 26 months of ageing, 9 of them in wood. Riserva: 50 months.
- Roero DOCG: at least 95% Nebbiolo from the left bank of the Tanaro. At least 20 months of ageing, 6 of them in wood. Riserva: 32 months.
- Langhe Nebbiolo DOC and Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC: the younger, more approachable Nebbiolos. The difference is explained below.
Outside the Langhe and the Roero the grape has other names. In northern Piedmont it is called Spanna, the grape of Gattinara, Ghemme, Boca and Lessona among others. In Carema and the Aosta Valley it is called Picotener, and in Valtellina in Lombardy Chiavennasca.
Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba: what is the difference?
Besides Barolo and Barbaresco, you will often see two other Nebbiolo names on labels. They look alike, but tell a different story.
Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC is made from 100% Nebbiolo from a defined area of 32 municipalities around Alba, on both banks of the Tanaro, with the Roero at its heart. The boundary runs around the Barolo and Barbaresco zones. The wine must age for at least 12 months. Thanks to the lighter, sandy soils of the Roero, Nebbiolo d'Alba is often fragrant, supple and approachable early.
Langhe Nebbiolo DOC contains at least 85% Nebbiolo and has no minimum ageing. The area is much larger, 94 municipalities, and includes the vineyards of Barolo and Barbaresco. That is why a Langhe Nebbiolo from a Barolo producer is often a "little Barolo". It comes from the same hills, but from younger vines, from plots just outside an MGA, or it is wine the producer deliberately releases younger.
What does that mean for you? On paper Nebbiolo d'Alba looks like the "higher" appellation. In practice a Langhe Nebbiolo from a good Barolo producer is often the best and most affordable way to get to know the terroir of Serralunga, Monforte or La Morra, without having to wait for years. All the Langhe Nebbiolos in our range come from producers who also make Barolo or Barbaresco.
Taste and style
Nebbiolo is lighter in colour than you would expect from such a powerful wine: bright ruby red, with an orange rim fairly early on. On the nose you find roses, violets, cherries and raspberries, often with herbs, tar and liquorice. On the palate it has high acidity and firm tannins.
Over the years the fruit shifts towards dried roses, leather, tobacco, tea, truffle and spices. That combination of acidity and tannin makes Nebbiolo one of the most age-worthy red wines in the world. When a Barolo is ready to drink depends on the vintage. See our page on quality per vintage.
Food with Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo calls for food. In Piedmont you drink it with tajarin or agnolotti del plin, risotto, brasato al Barolo, game and aged cheeses such as Castelmagno. And in October and November, of course, with the white truffle of Alba. A Langhe Nebbiolo is suppler and also suits a simpler meal, such as grilled meat or pasta with mushrooms.
Our Nebbiolo wines
Not sure which Barolo suits you? Have a look at our Barolo Buying Guide. Or discover the other grape varieties of Piedmont.
