Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC

Nebbiolo

The Nebbiolo vines that cover the Roero hills are the symbol of the tradition, culture, pride and glory of the Roero winegrowers.

Nebbiolo wine goes back far into history, and has been described by Roman authors and in medieval writings.

The etymological origins are uncertain: some believe the name comes from the fact that harvesting is very late in the season when the first mists mask the vines, others think it is for the fine grey-blue color that coats the grapes- recalling the color of mist.

This is a grape that blooms early and ripens late, permitting the vine to accumulate large amounts of organic substances excellent for the fruit, thus providing a very complete composition which is expressed in the rich opulence and complexity of the wine.

Nebbiolo is the maximum expression of local winegrowing excellence, and has always been destined for bottling.

On the steep sunny slopes of the Roero hillsides, Nebbiolo grapes absorb those characteristics of refined elegance that make Nebbiolo inimitable and unique, placing it among the aristocracy of the great Italian wines.

The vineyard

Production area: Comune di Vezza d’Alba sottozona Castellero e Mombello
Height o.s.l.: 200 m
Sun exposure: sud
Vines per hectare: around 2400
Farming: tradizional – guyot
Kg of grapes per hectare: no more than 90 quintals/hectar
Soil: with sandy infiltration
Year of implant: 1970 ca
Wine per hectare: no more than 6.000 litres

Production Process

Vinification: alcoholic fermentation in steel
Fining: malolactic fermentation and 8 months refining in 40 hl Slavonia oak casks
Aging: 8 months in bottle
Size / Format: from 0,75 to 1,5 lt
Ageing potential: up to 5/8 years after the harvest

Chemical Analysis

Alcohol vol. (%): 13.96%
Residual sugar: 2.9 g/l
Total acidity: 5.45 gr/lt
Volatile acidity: 0.74 gr/lt
Total SO2: 68 mg/l

The vine

Nebbiolo is the oldest indigenous red-grape vine of Piedmont and one of the noblest and most prestigious in Italy. Its name derives from ‘nebbia’, the Italian word for mist or fog: some say this is owing to the ‘misty’ look of its grapes, with their velvety covering, and others that it is because the late-ripening grape is often harvested during early autumn fogs.

Known also as ‘Queen of red grapes’ it is a finicky vine, requiring elaborate care and attention in order to thrive. It is precisely for this reason that it has known both heydays and moments of utter abandon in the past, although local producers have remained faithful to it through thick and thin, continuing to make the great wines it is capable of producing.

Nebbiolo is a demanding vine, needing exactly the right soil type, a south-facing hillside, pruning and training. A calcareous tufa-based soil is ideal for this vine that buds early – towards the middle of April – and ripens later than most other varieties, around the middle of October.

It suffers sudden changes in temperature but oscillations between day and night temperatures are an advantage during the grape ripening phase. For a correct formation of tannins in the grape skins, south or south-west facing hillsides are required, where spring frosts rarely occur.

The Nebbiolo vine produces strong powerful wines, rich in alcohol, that express their characteristics after a period of ageing. From the cultivation of Nebbiolo, Piedmont produces some of its greatest red wines, the pride of the Region.