Nebbiolo grape variety

"From the most important grape variety in the Langhe comes a wine that is an introduction to the king of wines." This is how Chiara Boschis describes her Langhe Nebbiolo – and this modesty is programmatic. The winery is located in Castiglione Falletto, one of the seven Barolo communes, overlooking vineyards such as Via Nuova and Mosconi. The Langhe Nebbiolo comes from its own vineyard and the so-called "fasce di rispetto" – those rows that border on conventionally cultivated neighbouring vineyards and are treated with particular care in terms of organic farming. 100% Nebbiolo, soils of calcareous clay in characteristic pale grey and pink-coloured rock – the same geological basis as the Barolo vineyards.

Nubiola is a Barbaresco with inner tension: differentiated, unagitated, but with a clear character. The name refers to historical roots: Vitis Nubiola was the name given to Nebbiolo in the 13th century. Pelissero has revived this term – not out of sentimentality, but because it suits the style of the wine: Complexity instead of posturing, depth instead of effect. The grapes come from various plots around Treiso, on soils of calcareous marl with a fine clay content. The sites complement each other – altitude, exposure, microclimate – to create a complex but harmonious overall picture. The wine is fermented with natural yeast and matured for 18 months in large barrels and tonneaux, all with deliberate restraint so that the structure and origin remain visible.

When Franco Pola bottled the first bottle of his Barbaresco Bordini in 1970, he not only marked the beginning of a family history, but also set an example of the bond between people and the vineyard that has endured for generations. The vineyard bears the same name as the street on which the estate stands – Via Bordini 15 – and this geographical coincidence holds a deeper truth: Here, where the winery building looks directly out onto the south-east-facing slope, family and terroir are inextricably intertwined. On sandy limestone-clay soil, 280 metres above sea level, Nebbiolo vines aged between 50 and 60 years are rooted – one hectare of which is even over 70 years old and ungrafted, a living link to the time when Franco's father, Secondo, still ran the estate as a farm.

Uvaggio is an old Piedmontese word for what has been practised in the vineyard for centuries: Growing different grape varieties together, harvesting together, pressing together. In Alto Piemonte, this was never an emergency solution, but a conviction – that Nebbiolo brings depth, Vespolina spice and minerality, Croatina colour and suppleness, and that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Proprietà Sperino has recovered this principle from the historical memory of the region. Paolo De Marchi – who redefined Chianti Classico in Tuscany with Isole & Olena – returned with his son Luca to the family's home in Piedmont, the castle of Lessona, in 1999. Here, in a vaulted cellar that is more than two hundred years old, they have since been producing wines that put Alto Piemonte back on the map of great Italian red wines. The grapes come from the vineyards in Lessona and the Madonna degli Angeli vineyard in Brusnengo, both on those unique marine Pliocene sands on igneous rock that give the wine its unmistakable minerality. Spontaneous fermentation with natural yeasts in open wooden barrels, 23 days of maceration, regular pumping over. Twelve months sur lie, then 22 months in a mixture of barriques and large oval barrels.

When Franco Pola bottled the first bottle of his Barbaresco Bordini in 1970, he not only wrote the beginning of a family story, but also symbolised the connection between man and vineyard that lasts for generations. The vineyard bears the same name as the street on which the winery stands – via Bordini 15 – and this geographical coincidence harbours a deeper truth: here, where the winery building looks directly onto the south-east-facing slope, family and terroir are inextricably interwoven. On sandy limestone/clay soil, 280 metres above sea level, Nebbiolo vines 50 to 60 years old take root – one hectare of which is even over 70 years old and ungrafted, a living link to the time when Franco's father Secondo still ran the farm as a farm.

This smooth and exceptionally polished Valtellina Superiore comes from Sassella, one of the most famous villages in the Valtellina appellation on the north bank of the River Adda. Bright ruby red in colour. Camphor, wild roses, wild berries and hints of graphite and vanilla are the main characters in this fragrant red wine. Straightforward and elegantly structured, it reveals red cherry, pomegranate and liquorice on the palate, accompanied by present but fine tannins. The lively acidity provides the necessary drive, including further ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

When Luciano and Luca Sandrone first laid eyes on the concave hillside of Valmaggiore in the 1990s, it was love at first sight. It was not just the history that captivated them – in the 19th century, the Nebbiolo grapes from this vineyard dictated the price for the entire region – but above all the unique combination of sandy soils and the microclimate of this natural amphitheatre. In Vezza d'Alba, on the left bank of the Tanaro in the Roero, lies this south-facing single vineyard with extremely steep slopes, where soft sandy soils lend the Nebbiolo that finesse and elegance for which the Roero region is famous.

Around twenty kilometres from Barolo, on the left bank of the Tanaro, a natural amphitheatre opens up near Vezza d'Alba: steep south-facing slopes, bathed in sunshine, with soft, sandy soil. The Roero is a good ten million years younger than the Langa; on the other side of the river lies firmer marl. When rain characterised both spring and September in the 2024 vintage, the soil allowed the water to drain away quickly. Sandrone has been bottling this Nebbiolo since 1994. It ferments spontaneously in open stainless-steel tanks, matures in LitersFrench oak tonneaux and rests in the bottle for nine months before leaving the winery.

For years, it remained a dream of the Massolino family to expand their portfolio in Serralunga d'Alba to include their own Barbaresco. It was not until late 2018 that Franco, Roberto and Paola found plots that met their standards, and in 2019 they produced their own Barbaresco for the first time, over a hundred years after the estate was founded. The grapes come from carefully selected vineyards in the Barbaresco area, with soils of varying consistency that bring out a gentler, more approachable side to the Nebbiolo here than in their home town of Serralunga. Following fermentation and maceration in wooden vats at around 30 degrees, the wine matures for approximately 18 months in large wooden barrels before taking on its final form in the bottle in the family's cool, dark cellars.

Massolino's Barbaresco is the quintessence of finely balanced terroir: Nebbiolo grapes from the Starderi, Albesani and Serraboella cru sites mature together to create a complex yet transparent wine. The 2022 vintage provided a balanced climate – warm days and cool nights – which harmoniously blends freshness, finesse and aromatic richness. The colour in the glass is a medium garnet red with bright reflections. The nose exudes a velvety elegance of red fruits, violets, delicate lavender, spicy notes, crushed rock and a hint of orange peel – pure, lively fragrance with contoured clarity. A medium body full of energy unfolds on the palate: silky tannins, lively acidity and polished, mineral tension are the carriers of a fruit-emphasised depth. The finish lingers for a long time – intensely floral, spicy and with vibrant freshness. SUPERIORE.DE

Some vineyards become the property of a family through strategic acquisition, others through a marriage that unites two Piedmontese families. When Aldo Pola took Luisella from nearby Serracapelli as his wife, this union not only brought two people together, but also the Pola family with the cru that is now one of the most sought-after in the municipality of Neive: Serraboella. Here, on calcareous soils of medium structure, 300 metres above sea level, Nebbiolo thrives in an interpretation that differs from the powerful Bordini – more reserved in its youth, almost shy, but with an elegance that comes to full fruition over the years. What Matteo Pola vinifies from the 30-year-old vines of this single vineyard is a Barbaresco of remarkable harmony – a wine that impresses not with its volume, but with the crystalline precision that characterises great terroirs.

This classic Barolo, based on an exciting blend of plots from Serralunga d'Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Barolo, shows the stylistic signature of the region at its best. The soils are structurally diverse: rich in calcareous marl, loam and mineral intersperses, each parcel contributes its part to the tension of the wine. The 2020 vintage reveals a model year of balance: a cool, precise ripening process with milder temperatures early on, followed by warm but balanced days and cool nights until the harvest. After traditional vinification – including daily pumping over during the 25-day maceration period – the wine matured for around 24–30 months in tonneaux.

The Ca' Guicciardi vineyard takes its name from the farmhouse situated at its centre. This single-vineyard plot is characterised by small, very steep valleys. Impressive rock faces alternate with terraces supported by some of the highest dry stone walls in the Valtellina. The distinctive colour of the rock, which tends towards a quartz-like white, significantly intensifies the sun's heat, resulting in higher temperatures and more light here than in other parts of the valley.

Serralunga d'Alba stands for powerful Barolo with depth, structure and astonishing ageing potential. Giovanni Rosso draws the best from this origin: south-east to south-west facing vines on calcareous, clayey-maceous soils at high altitudes (300-350 metres), combined with rigorous natural cultivation. The 2020 vintage recorded optimal ripeness, favoured by warm days, cool nights and a flawless autumn. After careful manual harvesting, each parcel underwent separate 25-day maceration, after which the wine matured for between 24 and 60 months in large oak barrels.

The "Sassorosso" vineyard is located on a rocky promontory that is separated from the rest of the mountain and has been almost completely eroded by the glacier over the centuries. It is visually characterised by the unmistakable red colour of the ferrous inclusions in the rock. The overlying shallow soil layer consists of clay and sand and lies on friable, metamorphic rock into which the roots can penetrate. The unmistakably elegant and mineral character of the terroir is therefore particularly evident in this Nebbiolo.

The Ca' Guicciardi vineyard takes its name from the farmhouse situated at its centre. This single-vineyard plot is characterised by small, very steep valleys. Impressive rock faces alternate with terraces supported by some of the highest dry stone walls in the Valtellina. The distinctive colour of the rock, which tends towards a quartz-like white, significantly intensifies the sun's heat, resulting in higher temperatures and more light here than in other parts of the valley.

The Fracia vineyard has belonged to Nino Negri since it was established in 1897. It lies at the confluence of several Alpine valleys, and the vegetation in this area – with its lavender and rosemary – is distinctly Mediterranean. The result is a wine that is flavourful and floral, with a distinctive, spicy aroma. An intense ruby red colour with garnet-red highlights. On the nose, complex aromas of dog rose and violets, which develop into spicy notes such as rosemary and lavender. On the palate, it is dense, rich and has well-structured tannins. The well-balanced and fresh acidity leads into a long, very flavourful finish. An Alpine red that is already a delight to drink today, but with further bottle ageing, its complexity and power will really come into their own. SUPERIORE.DE

The "Fracia" vineyard has belonged to Nino Negri since it was founded in 1897. It lies at the confluence of several alpine valleys and the vegetation in this area is almost Mediterranean with lavender and rosemary. The result is a wine that is flavoursome and flowery with a characteristic, spicy aroma.

The grapes for Prunotto's highly appealing Barbaresco come from long-established contract vineyards in Treiso and Neive. They are selectively harvested by hand; the batches are destemmed separately and fermented in stainless steel tanks, with maceration lasting around eight days at controlled temperatures. Malolactic fermentation is completed before winter. The wine is then left to mature for around a year in large oak barrels of varying sizes – a process deliberately designed to enhance balance, texture and the expression of its terroir.

As early as 1947, the Massolino family produced their first Barolo. To this day, they regard it as the holistic expression of their hills – a Barolo blended from several vineyards, and thus one that tells the story of more than a single cru. The soils are of a mixed, slightly calcareous consistency, typical of the area around Serralunga d'Alba. The estate deliberately opts for traditional fermentation vats and large Slavonian oak casks rather than smaller barriques, in order to preserve the wine's purer, unadulterated identity – up to 30 months in large oak, followed by further ageing in cool, dark cellars.

Before individual vineyards became a currency, Barolo was an idea. An idea that combined different soils, different slopes, different communities into one whole – and created a complexity that no single vineyard could achieve on its own. Davide Rosso sticks to this idea. His Barolo DOCG combines grapes from three municipalities in equal parts: Serralunga d'Alba with its hard limestone marls and uncompromising tannin structure, Castiglione Falletto with somewhat lighter, sandy soils and a natural aromatic suppleness, and the commune of Barolo itself, whose Tortonian soils lend the Nebbiolo a floral, accessible side.