Nebbiolo

About Nebbiolo Grapes

Considered one of Italy’s top red varieties, Nebbiolo is the grape of famed regions Barolo and Barbaresco in Piemonte. Just under 15,000 acres of this grape are planted and classic examples have notes of cherry, leather, anise and sometimes rose.

Nebbiolo Regions

Barolo
Piedmonte
Adelaide Hills
Pyrenees
California
Ensenada
Mittelburgenland

Taste profile

Famed for its aromatics, Nebbiolo wines are pale-coloured and can often age for a long time thanks to the grape’s high acidity and tannins. With time, notes of molasses, fig and leather can develop.

This is one of those grapes that you can become addicted to and the phrase ‘Nebb-head’ can often be heard when tasting a range of them! Classic examples from the cool climate of Northern Italy have cranberry and cherry flavours, whereas warmer vineyards in Australia and the USA can also have fruitcake notes.

While there are some great examples coming out of the Adeliade Hills and Pyrenees in Australia, it’s really hard to look beyond the north of Italy where you’ll find Nebbiolo in its greatest guise as Barolo and Barbaresco as well as the more affordable Nebbiolo d’Alba and used in blends that are sometimes labelled Langhe Rosso.