Connor Smith

9.5

#Nebbiolo is a surprisingly rare grape. Even in its native Piedmont, it accounts for only 8% of vineyard land. There are fewer than 100 hectares planted in the United States. 🕵️‍♂️🍇
Over 80% of prewar Italian immigrants came from Sicily and Southern Italy. Piedmont was the wealthiest and most politically dominant region. But if fortunes were reversed, could Nebbiolo have taken Primitivo/Zinfandel’s place as a grape relatively uncommon on the boot but dominant in California? 🤔🇮🇹🇺🇸
Probably not. The Nebbiolo vine is *not* for beginners. It flowers early and ripens late, making it susceptible to both spring and autumn frosts. It loves the occasional fog bath (some say the name is derived from ‘nebbia’, Italian for fog ☁️☁️☁️) but is prone to the mildew that may result from such humid conditions. Its fussiness would make Pinot Noir blush: it demands southwesterly exposure, a proper gradient, constant sun above, and fog licking at its toes. #diva
Sound anything like California’s Central Coast? 🌅
In the Santa Maria Valley, where the East-West Transverse Range bends back into the North-South Coastal Range, it’s possible. Vineyard selection still requires extreme discretion - an eye like @JimClendenen’s, perhaps.
Jim began the Nebbiolo program at the legendary #BienNacido vineyard in 1994. Production is small, but if you track down his “The Pip” Nebbiolo, it will only run you about $30. You’ll believe anything is possible when you have real California Nebbiolo of this quality come wafting out of the glass at you! 🙌🙌
🏞.“The Pip” is named after Jim’s old cellar dog Pip, a border collie. So it only seemed right to include one of our own pips! 🐈 — a month ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2005 / Noble and classic smell from this #nebbiolo wine from #piemonte. Minerality and high acidity. A seductive wine without that creepy earthiness I dislike. Tasted blind I did not recognise this as nebbiolo. It is time to revise my opinion about #Barolo. — 9 months ago

Chip Hughes

9.4

Castor bean, game juices, porcini, black tea, grated spice. Touch of camphor. Massive structure, with hard- but integrated- tannins. Classic Serralunga Barolo from an all-time great vintage. #germano #barolo #prapo #nebbiolo — 10 months ago

Chip Hughes

9.2

Always a crazy train. The first 15 minutes, it’s all tenderness, perfume and almost Chambolle-like; then, the cranberry, rose hips, roast game bird Nebbiolo thing kicks in. Pure, vital and refreshing. #proprietàsperino #nebbiolo #costedellasesia #vespolina — 8 months ago

Chip Hughes

9.4

Another phenomenal ‘14 Barbaresco. So reminiscent of 2008: elegant, fine, detailed. Spice box, cranberry, tar and a touch of camphor. Drinkable now. #ronchi #cruronchi #barbaresco #nebbiolo — 9 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

8.8

Vintage 2014 / If possible I would smell this wine for hours and hours...complex smell with mocca toffee farmroses burned sugar... smell is much nicer than taste... high bitterness, gloomy and stubborn. #barbaresco #nebbiolo — 10 months ago

Chip Hughes

9.5

Potent and riveting. Medicinal concentration, announced by aromas of camphor and hot tar. Saturated and dark color for Barbaresco, but it’s not overmacerated. Mace, porcini, tea rose and umeboshi plum. Massive structure, with the immense richness already winning the battle against substantial tannins. Drink it now, drink it over 25 years. Superior. #ronchi #barbaresco #nebbiolo — 9 months ago

Chip Hughes

9.2

Why you buy the grower, not the vintage. A ruthless selection of three crus yields this fast-maturing- but rich and elegant- beauty. Tar, tea rose, roasted plums and hot dust feature. Restaurants will jump all over this. #germano #barolo #nebbiolo — 9 months ago

Todd Scurci

8.5

#jams #nebbiolo — 10 months ago

David Kline

9.1

Earthy, asian spice notes, ginger, lemongrass, soy bouquet. Dried black cherry, plum skins, dried lavender and dried roses with an almost potpourri spice. Classic color, classic wine. #nebbiolo #RenatoRatti #Langhe #piemonte — a year ago

with Courtney