Piedmont
Fog, hazelnuts, and the most demanding red in Italy.
Nebbiolo is named for the fog — nebbia — that settles over the Langhe at harvest. It is a difficult grape: pale enough to look like a rosé, tannic enough to strip your teeth, and slow to reveal anything for a decade. Barolo and Barbaresco are both 100% Nebbiolo from neighbouring hills, separated by ageing requirements and a general sense that Barolo is the more powerful and Barbaresco the more perfumed. Everyday drinking is Barbera and Dolcetto, which is what growers actually open on a Tuesday.
Grapes grown here 6
What the region makes
Minimum 38 months ageing, at least 18 in wood. Tar, dried rose, cherry; tannin that needs years or a rich dish.
Minimum 26 months. Same grape, generally more aromatic and approachable earlier.
Lightly sparkling, low alcohol, sweet but fresh. Grape, peach and orange blossom.
Worth knowing
Nebbiolo is so site-sensitive it is barely grown successfully outside north-west Italy, despite endless attempts elsewhere.
The same hills produce white truffles and the hazelnuts behind Nutella — Piedmont's fog is good for more than grapes.
Try this region if you like structure and perfume over fruit, and you have patience.
Get in before the public launch.
Join the waitlist for a beta invite, plus a first-week credit at a partner shop near you.
No spam, one email when your invite is ready. Unsubscribe anytime.
We use your email only for the waitlist. Read our privacy policy.