Typical Products of the Langhe > Wine > Vines > Nebbiolo vine

The fine wines of the Langhe > Vines > Nebbiolo vine

Spanna (Novara and Vercelli areas), Picotèner or Picotendro (Valle d’Aosta and High Canavese), Prunent (Ossola Valley), Chiavennasca, Chiavennascone and Chiavennaschino (Valtellina). The denominations Lampia or Rosé or Michet for Nebbiolo vine refer to the main Nebbiolo sub-varieties of the Alba area. Pignolo from Barbaresco is identical to Nebbiolo. Moreover, Croatina is called Nebbiolo (Gattinara) or Spanna-Nebbiolo (Spannibièu) in Novara and Vercelli areas, and Dolcetto vine is also denominated Nebbiolo in Tortona and Pavese areas. In Piedmont there are other vines which are called Nebbiolo, but they are well distinct from it (the most important is Nebbiolo from Dronero).

Geographic distribution

Intensively cultivated in Langhe and Roero in the province of Cuneo, in Canavese and especially in the municipality of Carema, in the province of Turin, besides Biellese, High Vercellese, and Novarese. It is present also in Asti. Outside of Piedmont, it is largely spread in Low Valle d’Aosta, Valtellina and Franciacorta. Sporadic Nebbiolo plants are also overseas.

Morphological characters

Bud: greenish white, with more or less intense rosy edges, cottoned apex. Yellowish white, with rosy shades, inferiorly cottoned, apex leaves (1-3). Cup-leaned, rigid, yellowish light green, with more or less abundant copper shades, inferiorly very much lanuginose, basal leaves (4-5). 
Adult leaf: between small and medium-large, according to clones, pentagonal or cuneiform, more rarely entire, often tri-lobed, but sometimes five- or seven-lobed; generally open or very much open U- or lyre-shaped central womb, sometimes with a tooth; U-shaped superior lateral wombs, generally wide and with one tooth; U- or V-shaped inferior lateral wombs. Its border is of medium-thickness, finely bubbly, with a plan profile or slightly cup-shaped, of a green colour. Medially pronounced narrow-based teeth, with rectilinear margins or, concave on one side, convex on the other side. Its inferior page has a lanuginose border. 
Ripened grape: medium, but more frequently medium-large or large, winged pyramidal, prolonged, medially compact; its peduncle is of medium-length, robust. 
Acinus: medium-small (1,8 g), short ellipsoidal (d.e./d.l.=0,93), with a consistent, very much pruinose, blue-black (sometimes violet-shaded) peel.

Nebbiolo vine is very much polymorphous and a high intra-variety variability.

Phenology 

Germination: precocious (first decade of April). 
Flowering: precocious (first decade of June). 
Turning to dark colour: medium-precocious (second decade of August). 
Grape maturation: late (second-third decade of October).

Cultural attitudes and utilization

Vigour: high or also very much high, but it can be medium or even moderate, due to viral infections. Its buds have long inter-nodes and erect carriage; the developing of femminelle is abundant in some clones. 
Fertility and production: its fertility is medium, but it is very much reduced at basal gem level; its productivity is between medium and high, according to clones. 
Plant-culture and pruning: in Albese the system of plant-culture adopted is counter-espalier, but higher than the other vines, while in other cultivation areas more expanded methods are traditional: pergola (Low Valle d’Aosta, Carema and Ossola Valley), or other types (Vercellese and Novarese). It always needs a long and mixed pruning. 
Multiplication behaviour: good with the most common grafts; it has to be noticed its affinity with the 420A type, which is one of the most utilized grafts for Nebbiolo vine and, on the contrary, the scarce result of “riparia x rupestris” grafts (3309 C and 101.14), when utilized on calcareous grounds. 
Susceptibility to adversities and phytopathy: Nebbiolo wine is sensible to oidium and, in some years, it has to be defended from grape grey mould; its precocious germination makes it subjected to damages which are caused by late frosts and its rapid shoot development may cause a break due to the wind; it is also frightened by prolonged rains during its flowering period. 
Oenological attitudes: although it is sometimes utilized for the production of carbonic maceration Novello wines, and until the last century special wines (sweet, champagne-like, alcoholised and aromatized wines) were obtained, the most suitable utilization is for wines of corpus and structure, aged for certain time, of such complexity and elegance so that they can compete with the best wines in the world. When its maturation is completed, Nebbiolo wine holds some fruity and dried flowers, spices and tar odours; its taste reveals moderate tannins. In some areas it is blended with wines from other grapes, such as Vespolina, Croatina, Rare Grape.

Clones:

Nebbiolo CVT 63
Nebbiolo CVT 66
Nebbiolo CVT 71
Nebbiolo CVT 308
Nebbiolo CVT 415
Nebbiolo CVT 423
Nebbiolo CN 36
Nebbiolo CN 111
Nebbiolo CVT CN 142
Nebbiolo CVT CN 230
Nebbiolo R 1
Nebbiolo R 3
Nebbiolo R 6

DOC Langa wines which are produced from this vine:

Alba Nebbiolo wine
Barolo wine
Barbaresco wine

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