Wine · Grape variety guide
Grape Variety Guide · WSET Level 2
Nebbiolo
Piedmont's prized grape — pale colour, high tannin and acid, and a scent of roses and tar.
High tannin
High acidity
Pale colour
Where it grows
- Piedmont, Italy — the Langhe hills around Alba — Barolo and Barbaresco
- Barolo, Italy — firmer, more structured, longer required ageing
- Barbaresco, Italy — a touch softer and more approachable sooner
- Alto Piemonte, Italy — Gattinara and Ghemme — lighter, more elegant styles
- New World — limited plantings in California and Australia
What it tastes like
- Red cherry and rose aromatics, with a distinctive tar and dried-herb note
- Leather and forest-floor character develops with age
- High tannin and high acidity despite a pale ruby-garnet colour
- Full-bodied in structure even though it looks light in the glass
Growing notes
- Buds early but ripens very late, often picked in October
- Needs prime, south-facing slopes to ripen fully
- Name likely comes from "nebbia" (fog), for the autumn fog common at harvest time
Good to know
Nebbiolo's pale colour is one of wine's classic deceptions: despite looking light, it carries some of the highest tannin and acidity of any red grape, thanks to tannin from its skins and seeds rather than deep pigment.
Exam tip
Expect a pale-colour-but-high-tannin trick question, plus a Barolo-versus-Barbaresco contrast: Barolo is firmer and needs longer ageing, Barbaresco is a little softer and drinks sooner.
Part of the Grape Guide — browse all varieties, or jump back to the study sheet.
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