There are few things in life as deceptive as a glass of young Nebbiolo. Its light hue and gentle perfume tell your eyes and nose you’re in for a delicate, ethereal red. Then, you take a sip and feel the wine’s tannins rushing over every surface of your mouth, latching on for dear life. With its bold character, this wine doesn't pamper your palate so much as electrify it, which is one of the reasons many wine lovers consider it to be Italy’s greatest native grape variety.
     According to Ian D’Agata’s Native Wine Grapes of Italy, Nebbiolo has been enjoyed and revered for millenia by inhabitants of present-day Italy. Pliny the Elder was a fan, referring to it as “nubiola,” deriving from the Latin word for fog, which covers Piemonte’s rolling hills during the fall harvest. The town of La Morra passed laws in 1402, according to D’Agata, “handing out stiff penalties to all those caught damaging Nebbiolo vines.” Today, the writer Kerin O’Keefe calls Barolo and Barbaresco—both made from Nebbiolo—the King and Queen of Italian wine.
     So for a wine that does not exactly coddle in its youth, what has made it so irresistible and beloved for centuries? It comes down to how expressive the grape is, how much it conveys its terroir and the winemaker’s touch. This sampler features six wines from across Piedmont, made from 100% Nebbiolo. Three are classified Langhe Nebbiolo, which is Piemonte’s equivalent to Bourgogne rouge. One is a Barbaresco, and two come from Barolo. They range from Tintero’s juicy and slightly savory Langhe Nebbiolo, with notes of rose petals and blood orange, to Benevelli’s darker, more structured Barolo, reminiscent of ripe red berries, plums, and earth. With six years of age, this special bottling already hints at another reason behind the reverence of this grape: it ages beautifully, softening and opening up with time. The thread that ties all of them together is their mouthwatering acidity, tannic spine—which make them excellent food wines—and their unquestionable Piemontese essence. I’d recommend pairing them with a firm, flavorful cheese like asiago, mushroom risotto, or a grilled ribeye.