Information about Black Varietal

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Nebbiolo

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Nebbiolo overview
Nebbiolo is successful only in Lombardy in Piedmont. It is named after the word "nebbia", or fog in Italian, which rises around the hills of Alba. It is thought to be a descendant of Aglianico, a black grape grown farther South.

Terroir for Nebbiolo
The best wines, made exclusively from Nebbiolo, come from Barolo and Barbaresco in the Langhe hills, where the soil is relatively heavy. Wines made in the vicinity of Barolo, but not included within the appellation, can be called Nebbiolo d'Alba. When grown elsewhere in Piedmont, near Gattinara, or Ghemme, or farther away in Valle d'Aosta or in Valtellina, Nebbiolo makes lighter and more rustic wines of less interest. In areas of Piedmont outside of the Langhe, and in the Valle d'Aosta, Nebbiolo is also blended with other varietals.

Clones of Nebbiolo
The three main clones of Nebbiolo were identified in the nineteenth century: Lampia, Michet, Rosé. They are the only clones allowed in Barolo: the first two are the most important and most widely planted; Rosé is lightly colored and rarely used. Nebbiolo is a difficult varietal to grow: it buds very early, ripens very late, has high acidity and mouth-puckering tannins, and can achieve very high alcohol. It tends to high yield, which has to be restricted to make top quality wine. Like Pinot Noir, it mutates easily and >40 clones are known.

The taste of Nebbiolo
The classic description is "tar and roses". Relatively lightly colored, with an orange hue that can make the wine appear older than it really is, the nose has red cherry fruits and savory, leathery aromas. Fruits on the palate take the form of red cherries, damsons, mulberries with herbal overtones, but there is a lack of focus on primary fruit. Tannins can be very high. New oak is absent from traditional Barolos. However, some Barolo is now made in a more international style, matured in barriques, and has more fruit-driven characteristics. Barolo is the most ethereal, Barbaresco a little heavier, Gattinara (which can include 10% Bonarda) can be more rustic: the generic description of Langhe can range from quite light wines to Barolo-equivalents.

Pignolo is a black variety grown in Friuli-Venezia and Lombardy, where it can be used to make varietal wines. In Valtellina it is blended with other varietals, including Nebbiolo wine.