Nebbiolo grape variety

La Spinetta began with Moscato in 1977. Today, Giorgio Rivetti is one of the most renowned producers of Nebbiolo in Piedmont – more than 30 Tre Bicchieri awards speak for themselves. The Langhe Nebbiolo is the most accessible introduction to this world. The grapes come mainly from the Starderi vineyard in Neive, the very cru from which La Spinetta produces one of its most significant Barbaresco wines – supplemented by selected plots from Valeirano, Gallina and Campè. No other terroir, no other winemaker. Just a different age of vines and a more accessible winemaking process: 14 to 15 days' maceration in steel, malolactic fermentation in used French barriques, followed by bottle ageing.

The grapes come exclusively from the single vineyard San Pietro, and since the 2018 vintage, part of the wine has been aged in amphorae. Berries, liquorice and deep red fruit on the nose. Finely woven and very precise structure, a bright, open personality and class on the palate. Sheer elegance and Clerico enjoyment without waiting for further ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Barolo Paesi Tuoi is more than just a designation of origin. The name – borrowed from the novel "Among Peasants" by Cesare Pavese – evokes Piedmont not just as a landscape, but as a cultural space: rural, archaic, full of inner tensions. And so this Barolo is not an expression of a single cru, but a synthesis of the villages, hills and soils that together form the essence of this appellation. The grapes come from different, characterful vineyards around Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga, carefully selected and vinified separately. Long maceration periods, followed by around two years of ageing in traditional, large oak barrels – the result is a classic style with depth.

There are wines whose labels do not tell the whole truth. Bricco Ravera is labelled "Langhe Nebbiolo", but in reality it is Barolo in every respect – except for the name. The grapes come from the Ravera vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, one of the most prestigious single vineyards in the Barolo region, where Pecchenino has owned plots since the early 2000s. A complicated dispute over appellation rights meant that this wine had to be marketed under the less restrictive Langhe DOC – a bureaucratic detail that nevertheless works in the favour of the connoisseur: Barolo quality at a Langhe price. The vineyards are located in the hamlet of San Giuseppe near the Pecchenino family's Barolo winery. The chalky, clayey soils with a southern and south-western exposure offer ideal conditions for Nebbiolo, the capricious, late-ripening grape variety that develops its full aromatic complexity here. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine remains in contact with the skins for a prolonged post-maceration before being racked. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, where it develops the structure and depth that distinguishes it from simpler Langhe wines.

Bernardina is a wine with an interesting history. The Bernardina vineyard was once part of a 600-hectare estate belonging to a noble family who did not care much for wine. When the appellation boundaries for Barolo were established, this family never lobbied to become part of the area now registered for the production of Barolo DOCG. Today, the vineyard is managed by the Ceretto family, who have instead focussed on the production of Nebbiolo d'Alba. Nebbiolo d'Alba is an appellation in which the grapes from the Barolo and Barbaresco wine regions have been declassified and which is becoming increasingly popular.

For decades, the Sottimano family in Neive has vinified five individual Barbaresco vineyards separately: Cotta, Pajoré, Fausoni, Basarin and Currà – each with its own signature, each an independent argument for the terroir of the municipality. The Langhe Nebbiolo at Sottimano is normally made from the younger vines of the Basarin vineyard, while the older vines contribute their material to the five Barbaresco cru.

The grapes for Batasiolo's Barbaresco come from the gently rolling hills around the village of the same name, where Nebbiolo has found its unmistakable expression for centuries. The year 2020 brought moderate temperatures and a balanced interplay of sun and rain – ideal conditions to maintain the balance between finesse and structure. In the glass, it glows a clear garnet red with a brick-coloured rim – an indication of its youth and the journey that still lies ahead. The nose opens with ripe cherry, dried raspberry and a hint of rose petals, framed by tobacco, sweet spices and a hint of undergrowth. Taut yet supple on the palate, with fine-grained tannins that give the wine backbone and a fresh, precise acidity that carries its inner tension. Ageing in large wooden barrels allows the fruit to shine, while subtle balsamic and earthy notes develop. The finish is long, clear and elegant, carried by a subtle mineral vein. A Barbaresco that epitomises the classic school of Piedmont – noble, long-lasting and with a depth that will continue to develop for several years. Very good value. SUPERIORE.DE

In the heart of Alba, nestled within the Roman city walls of ancient Alba Pompeia, lies a winery that has been making history since 1881. Pio Cesare – founded by Cesare Pio, a man who believed in the potential of Nebbiolo when others were still focusing on mass production. Five generations later, Federica Boffa carries on the legacy of her father, Pio Boffa, who sadly passed away far too soon in 2021. Together with her cousin Cesare Benvenuto, she is responsible for one of the last active wineries in Alba's historic centre – a place where time seems to pass more slowly, where large oak casks allow the wines to mature just as they have for over 140 years.

Between the famous hills of the Langhe, the Nebbiolo grapes for this Barolo ripen in some of the most renowned cru sites: Cerequio, Bussia Bofani, Brunate, Briccolina and Boscareto. The different soils – from calcareous marl to sandy-limestone Helveticum formations – formations combine here to create a finely balanced expression of elegance and depth. The ageing in large oak barrels preserves the character of the vineyards without smoothing out their peculiarities.

There are wines that possess that unmistakable clarity which captures the essence of the terroir without beating about the bush. Fontanabianca's classic Barbaresco is just such a wine – blended from various plots around Neive, vinified with the precision that Matteo Pola, the third generation of the family, has made the estate's philosophy. Whilst the single-vineyard wines Bordini and Serraboella express the specific characteristics of their crus, this Barbaresco paints the bigger picture: 5.5 hectares on the municipality's typical limestone-clay soils, 300 metres above sea level, where Nebbiolo has, for generations, developed the elegance for which Neive is renowned in the world of Barbaresco.

A perfect introduction to the impressive craft of a young winemaker who has already come a long way on her way to the top. Here, Nebbiolo comes into the glass in purezza, the ageing partly in 500 Liters tonneaux and stainless steel interprets it – giulia Negri's vision – unadulterated and without distractions. Bright ruby red in colour, with a bouquet of small red berries, damp forest floor and a subtle hint of violets. Impressively elegant and supple on the palate, the Nebbiolo always remains taut and cool. In the final, the dark fruit beguiles with a freshness and juiciness that never seems opulent, but carries the tension into the long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Essenza is a classic Valtellina Superiore that draws its fruit from the terraced high mountain vineyards in one of the northernmost corners of Italy. Ruby red with garnet-coloured inclusions. Wonderful aromas of dried strawberries, mushrooms and flowers that open up into pure fruit. It is medium-bodied on the palate with appealing depth and intensity. The fine and complex tannins are polished and flattering. Essenza magically balances power and elegance, gaining much of its straightforwardness and focus from the lingering mineral notes of crushed slate or granite that add salty notes to the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Disanfrancesco – di San Francesco. Two plots in La Morra that bear the name of St Francis and are located right next to Brunate, the famous MGA from which the great Voerzio Baroli come. If you want to understand what that means, you just need to know: Roberto Voerzio is considered one of the producers with the lowest yields in the entire Barolo zone. Less than one bottle per vine. The first vintage of Disanfrancesco was released in 2001 – when Voerzio made the decision to vinify his best Nebbiolo below the Barolo appellation: more accessible, drinkable earlier, but still with the relentless vineyard philosophy of the house. South-east exposure, around 450 metres, 6,000 to 8,000 vines per hectare, maximum 1.5 kilograms per vine. Natural yeasts, steel, then 12 months in tonneaux at 30% new, followed by a further 8 months in 25-hectolitre barrels and steel. No filtration, no fining, no intervention.

The grapes for the Carluccio "Carlo" Negri – named after the winery's key pioneer – come from vineyards in the Valtellina DOC and DOCG areas, situated on the slopes of the Rhaetian Alps along the right bank of the River Adda. Sfursat, for which the region is world-renowned, is produced through the natural drying of the grapes, aided by the cool, dry winds from the mountains. During this process, in the "fruttaio" (the drying shed), they lose almost 30% of their weight. The result is therefore a unique Nebbiolo: rich and intense, with the typical mineral and fresh character of Alpine wines.

Essenze is no coincidence of a name. This Barolo from the appellation's historic heartland does not seek to make a splash, but rather to capture the essence: provenance, typicity and inner depth. The grapes come from selected plots around the village of Barolo itself – including the renowned Cannubi, Liste and Fossati vineyards, whose limestone-rich marl soils and varying altitudes ensure a multi-layered expression. Following fermentation on the skins, the wine matures for two years in large and small Slavonian and French oak barrels – vinified separately according to the character of each plot before the final cuvée is blended.

For over 60 years, the Produttori del Barbaresco have stood for an uncompromising commitment to quality, supported by over 50 winegrowers who contribute their finest grapes from Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso to the cooperative. The Barbaresco 2022 is a prime example of collective precision and classic style: the Nebbiolo grapes come from selected municipal vineyards, some of which border the crus, on limestone and clay-rich soils. Vinification was carried out using traditional methods: extended maceration, ageing for 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by a further period of rest in the bottle.

Obtained from a small, high-altitude vineyard in the historic San Cristoforo cru site above Neive, this Barbaresco combines terroir depth with contemplative maturity. The clay and limestone-rich soil, the exposed south-east exposure and the late harvest characterise the concentrated style. Three weeks of maceration are followed by a long, patient ageing regime: two years in large oak barrels, a further six months in concrete and then many more years in the bottle – until it opens up with the expression that only time can give.

The grapes for this elegant Nebbiolo come from the Ravera di Monforte vineyard, a small plot with limestone and clay soils on the south-eastern slope above the village of Monforte d'Alba. It shares its name with the famous Novello cru, but is distinct in its own right, characterised by stony soils that lend the roots depth and minerality. A brilliant garnet red with a ruby-coloured core. The bouquet opens with clear, youthful fruit: sour cherry, redcurrant and a hint of raspberry, underpinned by violets, dried herbs and a subtle hint of cinnamon. On the palate, the wine is taut and fresh, with precise acidity, ripe tannins and an invigorating, slightly salty finish. An authentic Nebbiolo from the Langhe, which clearly conveys its origin and distinctive character in the glass. SUPERIORE.DE

Some vineyards come into a family's possession through strategic acquisitions, others through a marriage that unites two Piedmontese families. When Aldo Pola married Luisella from nearby Serracapelli, this union brought together not only two people, but also the Pola family and the cru that is now one of the most sought-after in the municipality of Neive: Serraboella. Here, on medium-textured limestone soils, 300 metres above sea level, Nebbiolo thrives in a style that differs from the powerful Bordini – more reserved in its youth, almost shy, yet possessing an elegance that comes into its own over the years. What Matteo Pola produces from the 30-year-old vines of this single vineyard is a Barbaresco of remarkable harmony – a wine that impresses not through its intensity, but through that crystalline precision that characterises great terroirs.