The Wine Blokes

Nebbiolo (Italian), or Nebieul (Piedmontese) is one of the most important wine grape varieties of Italy’s Piedmont region.

History

The grape is thought to derive its name from the Piedmontese word nebbia which means “fog.” During harvest, generally in late October, a deep, intense fog sets into the Langhe region, where Nebieul thrives. An alternative (and maybe closer to truth) traditional explanation refers to the white milky veil that forms over the fruits as they reach maturity.

Its history is believed to start in the XIII century, and certainly it was cultivated since the 14th Century in Valtellina, an east-west valley in the Lombardy region at the foot of the Alps, north of Lake Como. Yet the first clear written references to this grape sort date back to the XIX century only. Until now Valtellina is the only region where Nebieul is grown in Italy outside Piedmont, along with the Aosta Valley.

Through genetic testing Vouillamoz and Schneider at UC Davis recently found Nebbiolo to be related to other Italian grape varieties; Nebbiolo Rosé, Freisa, Negrera, Rossola, Vespolina and Bubbierasco.

Calendar

1. First leaves: in the first weeks of April.
2. Blooming period: first 10 days in June.
3. Harvest: at the end of October.

Wine

The grape is used to make wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara and Ghemme. These lightly coloured red wines can be massively tannic in youth with intriguing scents of tar and roses. As they age, the wines take on a characteristic brick-orange hue at the rim of the glass and mature to reveal complex aromas and flavours (violets, tar, wild herbs, cherries, raspberries, truffles, tobacco, prunes). These wines often take years to become approachable as they require ageing to tame the tannins from the grapes. As part of a global trend begun in the 1990s, younger producers have sought to make their wines more approachable in their youth.

With limited production, the wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara and Ghemme can often fetch large sums of money. Barolo is the most important and appreciated of Piedmont red wines.

Synonyms

In various local districts the grape by the names :

• Spanna, in Province of Novara
• Picutener
• Chiavennasca, in Valtellina

Although there are dozens of Nebbiolo clones and Nebbiolo is prominent in and famous for producing wines like Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara, the reality is that this variety makes barely 3% of all the wines produced in Piedmont. There are twice as many acres planted with Dolcetto and ten times as many planted with Barbera.

Nebbiolo in Other Wine Regions

Nebbiolo is grown in other wine regions throughout the world with limited success. The specific terroir of Piedmont is not reproduced elsewhere, and finding the right clone for use in particular sites in the New World has been difficult. A few producers who have persisted with the variety in Australia, California, and Niagara have made some impressive wines.