Vitis vinifera Nebbiolo - Grape vine

The 'Nebbiolo' Vine is a highly renowned Italian black grape variety, used in the production of the finest wines from Piedmont. Barolo and Barbaresco are two notable varieties made exclusively from Nebbiolo. Under good growing conditions, this grape variety produces relatively acidic, highly tannic, moderately coloured wines of exceptional quality, capable of ageing. It is a delicate grape that matures late, usually in October. It requires excellent sun exposure, preferably facing southwest, from bud break to harvest. It prefers mainly limestone or clay-limestone soils with good drainage.

The wine grape vine (Vitis vinifera) grew wild over 5000 years ago. Numerous hybrids have been created to vary colours, flavours, and uses. The 'Nebbiolo' vine originates from Piedmont, Italy. Unlike many other major grape varieties, 'Nebbiolo' is geographically limited. Some excellent wines can be found in Baja California and Arizona, but the reputation of this grape variety is firmly rooted in the Piedmont region, where it often produces wines that evolve over several decades.

A vigorous climbing plant, the 'Nebbiolo' vine can reach up to 5m. Its final shape will depend on the pruning method used. The vine naturally clings to its support (trellis, espalier...) thanks to its tendrils and thrives in sunny locations. It has a semi-erect to horizontal habit. It is recommended to train it on wire and trellis it properly. It requires careful pruning.
Its deeply cut foliage is a vibrant green in summer, with the edges of its leaves turning red in autumn.
It flowers in clusters of tiny white-pink flowers in May.

The clusters and berries of Nebbiolo are small to medium-sized. The berries are round or slightly ellipsoidal. The skin of Nebbiolo seeds is thin. It is susceptible to grey rot and powdery mildew.

Nebbiolo is an extremely demanding grape variety with regard to soil and exposure, it is as delicate to cultivate as it is to vinify, as it requires frequent monitoring. It produces exquisite single-varietal wines that, when mature, offer complexity and length rarely matched. These wines are astringent in their youth and deserve a few years of ageing before being enjoyed. Its floral, fruity, and spicy notes are often combined with more unique flavours such as chocolate or mushroom. It typically produces wines with an intense garnet colour and slight orange reflections, high in alcohol, with very astringent tannins.

The grapes are consumed as wine after vinification.