Produttori del Barbaresco, Langhe, Nebbiolo 2022 - 75cl
If Barbaresco is Nebbiolo in its Sunday best, Langhe Nebbiolo is the grape in everyday clothes, and there is plenty to love about that. Produttori del Barbaresco makes this within the wider Langhe DOC, giving you the variety's signature perfume and grip without the wait, and at a far friendlier price. It is the ideal way to meet the grape before committing to its grander bottlings, and it comes from a house that knows Nebbiolo as well as anyone in the region.
2022 was a warm, early vintage in Piedmont, and the wine wears it well. Expect a deep, clear ruby and a nose that is ripe and lifted: raspberry and dark cherry, a dusting of cinnamon, fresh mint and pressed flowers. The palate is approachable and fruit-forward by Nebbiolo standards, with soft tannins, bright acidity and a light, energetic feel. It carries the pale-garnet looks and rose-and-red-cherry character of the grape, but wears them lightly. This is unmistakably Nebbiolo, simply in a more immediate register, with none of the sternness that can make young Barbaresco hard work.
Drink this young, across the next two or three years, while the fruit is fresh and the tannins stay supple. A short decant helps but is not essential, and it is forgiving enough to open on a whim. Reach for it on a weeknight, or pour it for someone who wants to understand what makes Nebbiolo tick before they spend more on a Barbaresco or Barolo. For the money, there are few better introductions to one of Italy's noblest grapes.
How to Serve
Serve at around 16C in a generously sized glass. A 20-minute decant lifts the aromatics but isn't essential; this is happy poured straight.
Where to Drink It
- Padella, Borough - fast, brilliant pasta and a glass of this poured without ceremony.
- Trullo, Islington - weeknight Piedmont energy done properly.
- Bocca di Lupo, Soho - small plates that suit an easy-drinking Nebbiolo.
Food Pairings
Weeknight-friendly with tagliatelle al ragu, or a wild mushroom risotto.
