Ep 613: The Grape Mini-Series Refresh -- Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is one of the oldest and finest red grapes of Italy. Native to Piemonte (Piedmont) in the northwest of the country, it was first mentioned and described by (my boyfriend) Pliny the Elder in the first century AD. After a time of being known exclusively on its home turf, starting in the 1700s, Nebbiolo began to gain status as a wine of Piemontese royalty. When a dry version was made in the mid-1800s, the wine's place as a great of the wine world was cemented.

Nebbiolo sparkles in the epic wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, along with other neighboring areas. But it's not a good traveler. Others have tried to grow it and make wine from it, but the magic of Nebbiolo is often elusive. So it remains small. With less than 15,000 acres/ 6,070 ha of Nebbiolo planted globally, this is a rare grape and we are lucky to have access to it!

Photo: Nebbiolo grape in the Langhe. Source: https://www.langhevini.it/en/i-vitigni-del-territorio/nebbiolo/

In this show, as in all grape miniseries, I talk about the history of the grape, how it behaves in the vineyard and winery, there terroir that best suits it, and the places it is grown. I also talk about climate change and what that will mean for Nebbiolo in the future (I'm hopeful. There are lots of options in Barolo and Barbaresco, so don't get all gloom and doom!).

If you've never had a Nebbiolo from Piedmont, please do yourself a favor and get one. It's unlike anything else in this world – pure magic in a glass when it's from a good producer.

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