Nebbiolo—Italy’s Noble (and finicky) Grape

Most people who know me at the store will attest to my love of Italian wines. So it was inevitable that I’d write about Italy’s noblest of grapes, Nebbiolo. It is essentially found only in the region of Piedmont, in northwestern Italy at the foot of the Alps, and is grown almost nowhere else in Italy or in the world for that matter—only a few small and relatively unsuccessful attempts in the U.S, Australia, South America, and Mexico. That is because the region’s unique continental climate tempered by the Tanaro River combined with the soil type cannot be replicated anywhere else.

Nebbiolo is derived from nebbia, which is Piedmontese for the fog that envelopes the region during harvest in October. It dates back to the fourteenth century, and plantings in the region increased until around 1860, when phylloxera wiped many vineyards. Many were replanted with other varietals, especially Barbera. Nebbiolo is the first grape in the region to bud and the last to ripen, being harvested in mid to late October, long after the more prevalent Dolcetto and Barbera. It needs to be planted on south and southwestern facing slopes at an altitude of 820 to 1500 feet. It is susceptible to coulure (failure to form fruit after flowering), is genetically unstable with frequent mutations, and is very sensitive to soil type. It is so difficult to grow that only about 3% of Piedmont’s (and therefore, the world’s) production consists of Nebbiolo wines.

So why bother with such a temperamental grape? Because the WINES…oh my God, the wines! The wines produced, especially those from the tiny DOCGs of Barolo and Barbaresco, begin as lightly colored, very tannic, highly acidic wines with characteristic aromatics of roses and tar. After proper aging (and some of these wines require ten years and many improve over forty years), they transform into majestic, complex wines, intensely aromatic with notes of tar, roses, violets cherries, tobacco, herbs, and raspberries on the nose and palate. The characteristic almost brick–orange color and medium body belies the complexity and power that sits in the glass before you. These wines are among the most extraordinary in the world.

Nebbiolo wines are made with traditional or more modern methods, resulting in very different wines. The traditional methods include long maceration (20 to 30 days) and maturation in older large barrels. Modern methods include shorter maceration at cooler temperatures and aging in small new oak barrels, resulting in wines that are more approachable earlier. Many producers are now combining the techniques with good success.

Nebbiolo wines are produced mainly in the Lange appellation of Piedmont, and the most famous come from the vineyards surrounding the small towns of Babaresco and Barolo. Barbarescos are a bit lighter and more elegant of the two, and DOCG rules require that they are aged in oak at least nine months and a total of at least twenty-one for ormale wines and forty-five for Riservas. Barolos are more powerful and require one year of oak aging and at least thirty-six months total aging for the normale and a whopping fifty-seven months for the Riservas. With the tiny amount of plantings and the fact that a producer’s wines may not be sold until up to almost five years after vinifying them, it’s small wonder that they are so pricey on the shelf. Consequently, it’s hard to find a decent Barolo or Barbaresco for under $35.00, and you are more likely to pay over $50.00 or $60.00. Some of the great producers command hundreds of dollars for their wines, and they still sell out quickly.

We have lots of great Barolos in the store. Brovia is a great one, with the entry level 2010 selling for $51.99. However the otherworldy Brovia Rocche 2008, rated 96 points by Critic Robert Parker, will cost you $94.99. The Ceretto 2010 DOCG Barolo 2010 and Barbaresco 2011 are wonderful to taste side by side at 59.99 each. The Vietti Barolo 2010 Castiglione is wonderful at $52.99. Finally, if you want to taste what a Barolo or Barbaresco tastes like without breaking the bank, Natale Verga makes very good, if not world class, examples for $27.99 and $24.99.

Nebbiolo wines are being made from younger vines and vinified by more modern techniques. They are very approachable young and are delicious (and much more affordable), often being a bit bigger in fruit than the more traditional wines and they are delicious! Eugenio Bocchino’s Roccabella Nebbiolo 2012 is fantastic at $20.99. Vietti Perbacco 2011 at $25.99 is worth every penny. Rivetto makes a nice lighter version for $18.99.

If you want to venture outside of Langhe to the far northern reaches of Piedmont, the areas of Gheme and Gattinara make wonderful Nebbiolo wines that are a bit lighter and earthier. Travaglini Gattinara is awesome at $33.99.

While Nebbiolo wines are not cheap, they are incredibly good. Anyone truly interested in experiencing the best the wine world has to offer needs to try them. Cheers!

Barbera—The Ultimate Food Wine

A good red wine to match with food must have enough flavor to stand up to what you are eating but not so much to overpower it. If the food has a high fat content, such as a nicely marbled ribeye steak, the wine should have ample tannins to cut through the fat, but in the absence of fat, tannins should be moderate to low. Perhaps the most important trait of a food friendly red is ample acidity. This keeps the wine refreshing, vibrant, and palate cleansing and enhances the flavors of the meal.

With this in mind, one of my favorite wines to recommend is Barbera. Native to the Monferrato region near the town of Asti in Piedmont, Italy, where it has been documented as far back as 1240 in the records of the local cathedral, it is the third most planted red grape in Italy behind Sangiovese and Montepulciano. Although over 70,000 acres grow in Piedmont,  and it was a favorite of Italian immigrants resulting in 8000 acres growing in California, it is surprising how few people know about it.

In the early 1980s, over 120,000 acres of Barbera were planted in Piedmont. Then, in 1985, unscrupulous producers added methanol to their wine to give it a little extra “kick.” As a result, 30 people died and over 50 were blinded. This bad publicity along with growers switching to more profitable Nebbiolo led to a marked decrease in production.

Barbera grows best in warm climates and tends toward high yields, so it must be aggressively pruned. It is very thin skinned, so it is prone to mildew, disease, and sunburn. It ripens two weeks earlier than Nebbiolo and two weeks later than Dolcetto, the other two major Piedmont grapes. The grape has a very high acidity, approaching that of white wine grapes. Leaving the fruit on the vine longer to lessen the acidity results in higher sugar levels, denser flavors, and a higher alcohol level in the finished wine. When this balancing act between acidity and fruit concentration is performed well, the wine is delicious.

Barbera is dark in color, has medium to low tannins, a high acidity, and flavors of red fruit and black cherries There are two styles—a lighter style that is usually made without oak aging, and a richer more complex style that is aged in used oak. They are both delicious and are wonderful with food, from pasta with red sauce, sausages, and pork to stews and braised and roasted meats. In Italy, the spicy fruity Dolcetto is the everyday and (ALL day) drinking wine, while the Barbera is the wine enjoyed with the main meal. (The higher priced Nebbiolo is for special occasions).

Besides being delicious and food friendly, really good Barbera can be found in the 15 to 25 dollar range. Mauro Molino Barbera d’Alba, aged in stainless steel, is fresh and vibrant with a mouth watering acidity and lots of red berry fruit and costs only $15.99. Rivetto Barbera d’Alba Nemes, also $15.99, is aged for a short time in Slovenian oak but retains its freshness and lightness of fruit.

If you are going to try Barbera, you absolutely HAVE  to try the Barbera di Monferrato from Fabrizio Iuli. He calls himself a “Barberista” because although most Piedmont estates that make Barbera also make Nebbiolos and Dolcettos, he concentrates only on Barbera. His Umberta, at $15.99, is aged in stainless steel and is an explosion of exuberant red berry fruit fruit in your mouth. The Rossore (named because that will be the color of your cheeks when you drink it) is aged in French oak and is lush and complex with the underlying acidity and ample red and purple fruit that is classic for Barbera, This is one of my very favorite wines with Italian food and is well worth the $22.99 price tag.

Natale Verga makes a very drinkable Barbera for only $8.99.  Although not world class, it is varietally correct, and a good way to find out if you like this grape without spending much money.

Finally, at the other end of the spectrum, if you want to taste what is probably the ultimate expression of the Barbera grape, try G.D. Vajra’s Barbera d’Alba Superiore. I first tasted this wine at a large trade tasting a year ago featuring at least a hundred wines including some very expensive Barolos and Barbarescos. Vajra’s Barbera was THE wine of the tasting. With beautiful aromatics of flowers, red and purple fruit, and massive complex layers of black cherry, plums, red currants, and vanilla, it has a bracing acidity that makes your mouth water and makes you want to consume the entire bottle with a very large amount of food. In a word, this wine is ridiculous. It will be $44.99 well spent.

Barbera is a wine that anybody who loves a good meal needs to try. It will bring even the simplest of dishes to life…and it will become a common occurrence at the dinner table. Cheers!

Piedmont, Bocchino, and IuliItaly’s Wine Mecca and Two of its Superstars

Piedmont lies at the foothills of the Alps in the Northwest of Italy and is arguably one of the two or three greatest wine producing areas in the world. Piedmont is home to  Nebbiolo, the source of Barolo and Barbaresco, often called Italy’s Noble Grape. Barbera is actually the most abundantly grown grape there, and Dolcetto is also very common. Although known for red wines, three grapes grown give rise to magnificent white wines: Arneis, Cortese from the appellation of Gavi, and Moscato from the Asti region.

Piedmont wines are grown mostly on hillsides. Nebbiolo and Barbera are planted on the warmer south-facing slopes and Dolcetto and Moscato on the cooler slopes. The summer temperatures are similar to those in Bordeaux, but with less rainfall, and the winters are harsher. Fog is common and aids in the proper ripening of Nebbiolo (the grape’s name is from the Piedmontese nebbia, which means fog.)

Piedmont is the most strictly controlled region in Italy with eighty-four percent of its producers falling under DOC/DOCG designation. Despite this, the majority  of  producers are very small—often family run estates.

Nebbiolo

This grape is truly unique to Piedmont. In fact it essentially is found nowhere else in the world despite being one of its most cherished varietals. It grows in the hills of Langhe. The wine is called Barolo if the grapes are grown in the vineyards surrounding the small town of Barolo, and Barbaresco if grown near Barbaresco. Otherwise it's called Langhe Nebbiolo.

Barolo is produced southwest of the town of Alba, near the town of Barolo. The appellation is only five by seven miles in area and produces 500,000 cases annually of one of the world's most sought after wines. The clay and marl soils lessen the natural acidity of the grape and produce a big tannic age-worthy expression of the grape. Often requiring ten to twelve years to mature after release, these wines evolve into elegant medium-body wines with amazing power and depth.

Barabaresco, although only about ten miles from Barolo, has a more maritime climate and different soils. The wines produced there are slightly less tannic and more approachable, but still have all the elegance and grace of Barolos. This smaller area produces 200,000 cases per year.

Barbera

This grape is planted all over Piedmont but grows best near the towns of Alba and Asti. It produces juicy, fruity, muscular wines with rich red fruit flavors and a nice acidity that makes them wonderful food wines.

Dolcetto

Dolcetto is also grown everywhere in Piedmont and gives rise to light to medium body wines that are fresh, dry and slightly tannic with a wonderful spiciness. Probably the less consistent of the three, Dolcetto wines can be very good or quite insipid, but the good ones are awesome values and wonderful to drink. Dolcetto is meant to be drunk young, and is the every day drinking wine in Piedmont.

A Rising Star

Eugenio Bocchino and his wife Cinzia have farmed 5.5 hectares on their estate in LaMora since 1996. Eugenio is the winemaker and Cinzia biodynamically manages the vineyards. For their first vinification, they used an old restored wine press, four used barrels obtained by selling their only car, and Cinzia's parents’ garage. In 2001, they built a house and winery and are now producing amazing wines.

Bocchino Nebbiolo Roccabella: This vineyard is only a few hundred feet from the border of Barolo, and although the vines are young (fifteen years old), it is destined for fame. The wine is aged for only one year in wood and is a fresh and vibrant expression of, and perfect introduction to, the Nebbiolo grape. There are aromas of roses, red fruits and spice, with violets, blackberry, mint, and licorice on the palate. The tannins are soft but ample, and there is a fresh acidity. Dark and powerful yet elegant, this is an absolutely awesome wine for only $25.99.

Bocchino Vino Rosso del Popolo: This wine is made only occasionally by Bocchino and is one of the best new wines I've tried in the last two years. I always have a bottle or two at hand. It is a blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo grown by Bocchino and Dolcetto purchased from a friend. The Nebbiolo is aged for eight months in oak while the Barbera and Dolcetto are kept in stainless steel until they are blended. The wine melds the characteristics of all three. It’s bright with red and black fruits, spices, and a lively energy. The aromas are of fruit and flowers with light tannins on the finish. This wine is limited in production, and at $16.99 a bottle, get it while it lasts.

A Barbera Master

Fabrizio Iuli calls himself a “barberista” for his love, focus, and dedication to the Barbera grape. Located in Monferrato, home of many of Piedmont's top Barberas, the Iuli estate is organically farmed and his old vine vineyards have a strong core of limestone which adds a distinctive “terroir” to his wines.

Iuli Barbera del Monferrato Rossore is, in my mind, one of the best Barberas in the world. It is made from one hundred percent organically farmed fruit, some from his ancient plot known as Barabba. The wine has a nose of ripe fruit and chocolate followed by a palate packed with flavor, ripeness, and a beautiful balance of underlying acidity and tannin. It is aged one year in old French oak. Fabrizio calls this wine “Rossore” because “that's the color of your cheeks when you drink it”. A steal at $23.99.

The many great estates in this picturesque wine region all make great wines from these three very different grapes. Treat yourself to a bottle of Bocchino or Iuli soon.

Moscato d’Asti—Summer’s Perfect Wine

Moscato d’Asti is produced mostly around the town of Asti in Southeast Piedmont, probably Italy’s most important wine producing region. It is made in a frizzante (lightly sparkling) style, is low in alcohol (4.5 - 6.5%) and has a zippy acidity that makes it an ideal summer refresher. Despite being modestly sweet, the low alcohol and good acidity clear the palate, so it's not syrupy or cloying. This makes the second glass as good as the first. It is made from the Muscato Bianco grape, which has been grown in Piedmont for hundreds of years.  Although made in the same area and from the same grape, it is distinct from Asti Spumante, a fully sparkling wine typically done in a drier style.

Moscato d’Asti is known for its freshness, elegant floral aromas, and delicate flavors of peaches and apricots. The wine is typically paired with non-chocolate desserts, particularly the classic Panatonne (a sweet bread containing candied orange, citron, and lemon zest), fruit tarts, or dry pastries made with hazelnuts or almonds. It’s also a great apéritif.

Many wineries produce this wine, including some of the most well known estates in Piedmont. It is not particularly expensive, usually in the $12.00  to $20.00 range.

Vietti Cascinetta is made from only the best grapes harvested from thirty-five year old vines. The nose suggests aromas of peaches, rose petals, and ginger. On the palate, its modest sweetness is perfectly balanced with acidity and minerality. Fresh apricots round out the creamy finish. Price tag? About $16.00.

A bit pricier at $15.00 per half bottle, but probably one of Piedmont’s best Muscatos, is Michele Chiarlo Nivole. Nivole means “clouds” in the Piedmontese dialect, and it appropriately suggests the wine’s airy, elegant quality. The fragrant, intensely fruity bouquet is offset by musky notes and leads to flavors of fresh peaches, apricots, and a hint of lemon.  Its refined sweetness is supported by an excellent balance of acid and bubbles. The finish is clear and crisp. You’ll wish it came in full bottles. The half is simply not enough of this beauty.

I drink dry wines ninety-five percent of the time. When I’m in the mood for something a little sweeter, Moscato d’Asti is the one I choose (except for the occassional Riesling or Port, of course.) Give it a try. You’ll love it.