Everyone loves a delicious glass of wine, whether to enjoy with a meal it pairs well with or even as a standalone drink. And if you are a lover of red wine, then Nebbiolo wine is certainly one that should be on your try list! The Nebbiolo grape is one that hails from the Piedmont region of northern Italy, and it is renowned for its strong and full-bodied flavor. It is also an ingredient of two of the most expensive wines, Barolo and Barbaresco. In this article, we will share some facts about this unique and flavorful wine.

1. Nebbiolo is a grape that is quite old, as the first references of this fruit date back all the way to the 13th century!

2. The Nebbiolo grape makes up only 8% of the grapes that are grown in Piedmont. But having said that, more of this grape is grown in this part of Italy than anywhere else on the globe. What’s more, even though the Nebbiolo grape is an essential part of two premier wines made in Italy, it is rarely grown anywhere else in the country.

3. Like Pinot Noir, the Nebbiolo grape is one of the fussier varieties of grape to grow. It is also like Pinot Noir in the fact that it is “terroir-expressive”, meaning that it can taste dramatically different depending on where it is grown.

4. Nebbiolo wine is full of flavor, but the color is quite light. In fact, it is the color of pale garnet. This wine’s aroma is also on the light side, which is pretty deceiving, you will discover, as soon as you take a sip.

5. This is a wine that is made up of a highly unique flavor profile. You will taste something bold and leathery, followed by the striking and delectable flavors of cherry, coffee, and even anise and the sensations of earth.

6. Young Nebbiolo wines do possess a rich and bold color – at first. It does not take long for the wine made from the Nebbiolo grape to become light, despite being full-bodied and tannic.

7. Although some believe that Nebbiolo wine needs to be aged for at least one decade, new developments in winemaking are causing Nebbiolo wine to be softer and more easily approached in a younger state. Extended maceration, for example, is an innovative technique that is used to temper tannins.

8. During the 1800s, Barolo, one of the premier wines that are made using the Nebbiolo grape, was known as a sweet wine. That was likely due to the fact that the grape is harvested later in the season, and fermentation was halted in the colder weather.

If you have the chance to try Nebbiolo wine, you will find that it pairs quite well with dishes that are hearty and made of fat, butter, olive oil, etc. Lean food may not be a top choice. Italian fare is, naturally, a good fit for this wine but you may be surprised to learn that Nebbiolo wine also pairs nicely with spicy Asian dishes.