Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo Tasting Notes

Cherry

Raspberry

Leather

Plum

There is something quite unique about the wines produced by this grape. On the nose these wines have a very light, floral aroma to them, commonly misleading people into expecting a very light, delicate red. However, when tasting wines from this grape you will be hit with a wave of bright fruit flavours of red cherry and raspberry, creating a real excitement on the palate. Secondary flavours of leather and star anise also come through adding a complexity to this wine.

Nebbiolo Wine Style

The same contradiction we have between aromas on the nose and flavours on the palate continues when it comes to the wines style. On first impressions, this wine looks relatively pale for a red, in fact the wine is pretty translucent, not dissimilar to Pinot Noir. However, when diving into this wine, you’ll discover a much fuller-bodied wine than you would first expect. High tannins cling to the side of the mouth, with a leathery feel. This is complemented by high acidity which helps to lighten the palate, as well as relatively high alcohol levels.

Wine Regions

Italy

USA

Australia

Nebbiolo originates from the Piedmont region of Italy, where to this day, it is still most commonly found. This warm climate grape loves the Italian sun, and the clay and silt-based soils found here. In fact it struggles to grow outside of this region due its very fussy nature. This is likely to be the reason why vineyards growing this grape around the world are few and far between. A handful of producers can be found in California and Australia, however for the real show-stopping reds produced from this grape, Italy is the place to go.

What Food Goes with Nebbiolo?

Wines from this grape are best paired with foods that can stand their ground against the high tannins. Slightly fattier meats such as a juicy ribeye steak or lamb shank are a great match here. Or if you are a fan of slightly spicy, aromatic Asian cuisine then this could be one to try.