The fine wines of the Langhe > Nebbiolo wine

According to the legend, a monk cultivated a small garden, near the hut where he lived. He also took care of a small vineyard from whom he obtained not very much wine that was drunk by himself. One morning, he found his garden and vineyard enwrapped by a thick fog. He connected the event to a warning by God and immediately he stopped cultivating the ground, and dedicated only to prayers. When it was vintage time, finally the fog disappeared, and the ripen grapes shined like jewels. More realistically, Nebbiolo’s name is connected to the fog [Nebbia] which, in vintage time, appears in the morning. Nebbiolo has been mentioned since 1268, when it was mentioned in a document in the castle of Rivoli. But also in 1330 people talk about “Nubiola” grapes, as well as in 1400, when the Bishop of Turin wanted Nebbiolo casks instead of the rent for his lands. Barolo, Barbaresco, and Nebbiolo wine are the triad of the best products coming from Nebbiolo grapes, in the area of Alba. The Savoy, whose love for food is well-known, considered it as one of their favourite wines, and it is said that they utilized it as a subtle diplomatic method. Savoy’s jeweller says that the name “Nebbiolo” derives from a transposition of the word “nobile [noble]”, which is a word that, according to him, best defined this wine characteristics. The production areas are the territories of Alba, Canale, Castellinaldo, Corneliano, Diano d’Alba, Vezza, Grinzane Cavour, and many municipalities of the province of Cuneo. Hilly attitude vineyards, whose ground is mainly siliceous-calcareous, are the only ones which are suitable; there are 1.245 Nebbiolo wine producers, 573,92 hectares of vineyards, which lead to a maximum annual production of 36.156 hl, and to an average one of 11.227 hl; the only vines are the Nebbiolo ones; its minimum alcoholic content is 12%; its colour is a more or less loaded ruby red, with grenade reflections after the ageing; its smell is characteristic, slight and delicate, and reminds of the violet, and increases and better itself with the ageing; its taste is from dry to pleasantly sweet, rightly tannic when young, velvety, and harmonic; ageing is not considered; it is produced also the sparkling wine type; its ideal matching are aged and spiced cheese, white meat roast-beef, jugged or roasted red meat or game if it is aged.