Nebbiolo Day Masterclass

Nebbiolo is not a grape variety that many people are familiar with, but it is Italy’s finest black grape variety.

Of course, I am biased as I love this variety but I’m not the only one:

“If Pinot Noir is the world’s most tantalising grape, Nebbiolo runs a close second and for very similar reasons” – Jancis Robinson MW

“As a variety, it is held in the highest regard by winemakers and wine drinkers across the world. Furthermore, it would only be rivalled by Pinot Noir in its ability to express the most subtle nuances of various terroirs and consequently, it is often referred to as the Burgundy of Italy.” – Oz Clarke MW

Nebbiolo is the grape behind one of Italy’s most respected red wines – Barolo and also its neighbour; Barbaresco.  Yet as Oz Clarke says it is able to express quite subtle variations in terroir and therefore is worthy of a serious look at different styles.

Nebbiolo is famously high in everything – alcohol, acidity and tannin.  Oh yes, those tannins; when teaching WSET courses, Nebbiolo is the grape used to demonstrate what high tannin wine is like.  However, those tannins and the acidity combine to make the wine capable of ageing for many years.  It does need those years, the first few of which are routinely spent in oak barrels. 

Unlike many other premium varieties, Nebbiolo does not travel very much.  There are a handful of wineries in places like Australia that dabble with this grape, but it is essentially an all-Italian variety, and almost an entirely all-Piedmont variety too.

Tonight, we will taste six Nebbiolo wines from Piedmont.  We will start with a generic Langhe Nebbiolo, made from young vines that don’t yet make the grade to be labelled Barbaresco.  Next, we head up to the north of the region near to Lake Maggiore to sample a lighter style of Nebbiolo before heading south again.  Roero is an area just north of the city of Alba that makes excellent value Nebbiolo as well as great white wines too.  Finally, the last three wines see us compare Barbaresco and Barolo plus either a riserva or a single cru for the ultimate Nebbiolo experience.

This wine really does need food to help it along so we will have some Italian cheese and salami to taste alongside.

This event can be purchased as part of our 4-week “Superstar Grape Varieties” Masterclass