Piedmont’s Answer to Rising Burgundy Prices
Is Nebbiolo emerging as the smart buy in a changing wine market?
Written by Chris Fleming
There are a handful of wine regions that are so stunning in both their natural beauty and their ability to produce profound wines that they inspire a kind of fanaticism not unlike the way one might idolize a musician or artist. The Douro, Rhone, Rioja, Burgundy and Piedmont are among the places whose wines are so mind-bending that some people position their entire lives around them. When the chance came to attend a major trade tasting in Alba called Nebbiolo Prima, I jumped at the opportunity to see Piedmont for myself. I had never set foot in the northern Italian birthplace of the Nebbiolo grape, the famed home of Barolo and Barbaresco.
Named for its location at the foot of the Alps, Piedmont is perpetually shrouded in mist. The landscape looks brooding and mysterious, like another world. It’s easy to see how Nebbiolo got its name from nebbia, the Italian word for fog. As I approached Alba, a small town in southern Piedmont, through the cold drizzle, I was entering a place I’d only imagined for years.
The hills of Piedmont are often described as rolling, but the terrain is far more dramatic. Steep slopes break through the fog to reveal hilltop villages, many crowned by ancient castles. Villages like Verduno and Castiglione Falletto are home to a mere few hundred people, but they loom large in the storied world of Barolo. Single vineyards, or crus, like Monvigliero, Cannubi, and Villero are as visually striking as any in Burgundy or the Douro Valley, with near-total vine coverage on undulating hillsides. At around €4 million per hectare (1 hectare = 2.5 acres), Piedmont’s vineyards are among the most expensive in the world.
Beyond the vines, hazelnut trees grow in abundance, fueling both the regional cuisine and the nearby Ferrero plant in Alba, home of Nutella, Kinder, and Ferrero Rocher. According to the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, a name nearly as long as the region’s winemaking history, Nebbiolo is the most widely planted native grape in the region, covering 37% of the vineyard area. The United States is the largest export market for Barolo and Barbaresco, receiving nearly 20% of total annual production.
As Burgundy prices soar, many restaurants have scaled back. Sommeliers, retail buyers and collectors often compare Piedmont’s Nebbiolo-based wines to Burgundy Pinot Noir for their transparency, texture, weight, and aromatic complexity. With alluring, expressive, and floral ‘tar and roses’ aromatics, and red and dark berry flavors on the palate, often with chalky notes, Nebbiolo offers an overall drinking experience similar to Pinot Noir in Burgundy, at a much lower price point. Sam Acerra, Captain at The Modern, notes, “Langhe Nebbiolos are more forward and approachable in their youth. In my experience, they have quite a beautiful fruit structure, juicier, fresh, and possibly more appealing to the newer or less experienced wine drinker.”
“Burgundy has priced itself out of the entry-level tier,” explains Jhonel Faelnar, Beverage Director of Atomix, Atoboy and Naro, who likes the value play Nebbiolo gives his guests. “This opens the door for people who want to drink at a certain price point.”
Christy Canterbury MW acknowledges the relative quality and value of Nebbiolo, explaining, “Bourgogne Rouge at $40-50 [retail] isn’t a good deal, so I definitely agree that it’s not worth $100 on a wine list.” She cautions that while Nebbiolo is “über-aromatic, graceful, and pale-colored, straight Nebbiolo [wines have tough] tannins and racy acidity to reinforce that tannin.” She sees Barolo wines as better values compared to “top village or certain Premier Cru [Burgundies, where] most (not all) Barolos will win on price.”
From the retail side, Jeff Patten, owner of Flatiron Wines & Spirits, agrees on the relative value but is less convinced about consumer behavior. “I much prefer most Langhe Nebbiolo to most Bourgogne Rouge––and Langhe is usually cheaper. It really is an excellent value, and probably the wine I drink most of in the $20-$30 retail price range. It’s very popular with consumers. People like me, and many of our customers, who drink Langhe Nebbiolo also drink Barolo, and vice versa.”
General Manager of Le Du Wines, JT Robertson explains, “Le Du Wines has long been a Burgundy destination,” but he sees an edge in Piedmont. He elaborated, “What you can get for $20 from Langhe Nebbiolo and $40 from Barbaresco is a high-level quality-to-price ratio.” If he were building a high-end wine list today, Robertson says, “I’d focus heavily on Nebbiolo with 4-8 years of bottle age. Langhe and Roero Nebbiolo are incredible values, as is Barbaresco. [Customers like] the fresher, fruitier style of Langhe and Roero Nebbiolos and how it directly aligns with [higher level] Barbaresco.”
Federica Boffa-Borgogno, of the historic winery Fratelli Serio & Battista Borgogno, beams with pride in her family’s legacy. Two generations ago, her grandfather Serio and his brother Battista inherited a small farmhouse and two hectares of vines atop Cannubi hill, one of Barolo’s most prestigious crus. “All of the wines we produce have the same importance,” she says. “They’re vinified to reflect where they come from and the character of the vintage. Nebbiolo can be a great starting point to tell the story of our region before arriving at Barolo.” Federica describes her two entry-level Nebbiolo wines, “For Langhe Nebbiolo, we vinify only in steel, with whole bunches that macerate for about 20% of the total mass. The pronounced taste of the fruit comes out more and makes it fresher. Nebbiolo d’Alba sees fermentation in 150-hectoliter wooden tini (large vats) and ages in Slavonian oak. That gives it elegance and a velvety texture.”
In Castiglione Falletto, Cantina Sobrero Francesco farms 16 hectares of vines, including holdings in some of Barolo’s top crus—Rocche di Castiglione, Villero and Parussi. Flavio Sobrero’s family began bottling their wines in 1964, and he took over winemaking in 2000. He explains, “Wines with an excellent quality-to-price ratio which are simpler, like Langhe Nebbiolo or Dolcetto, will become increasingly important in the future to bring both young and older drinkers to experience the wines of Piedmont. Then, with maturity, they’ll come to appreciate more important and complex wines like Barolo. Our wines offer excellent quality for their price. I think this is the basis of our success.”
In Barolo’s northernmost commune of Verduno, Castello di Verduno’s winery and cellar sit within an ancient castle atop the village, as is common in the Langhe. Commercial Director Marco Buttignol explains, “Langhe Nebbiolo is a fantastic ambassador for our region. Barbaresco and Barolo are the destinations for different reasons: concentration, tannins, acidity. But Nebbiolo can be very helpful for consumers to know Piedmont better and then to appreciate Barolo. The price point plays a very important role in this.” Castello di Verduno shares the famed Monvigliero cru with its iconic neighbor, Comm. G.B. Burlotto, and both producers have remained committed to traditional winegrowing and winemaking for generations.
Piedmont wines are an authentic reflection of their place of origin, proud family histories, and the region’s majestic vineyards. These compelling Nebbiolo wines offer a drinking experience that rivals Burgundy’s Pinot Noirs, long regarded by sommeliers and wine buyers as some of the finest wines on earth. Among experienced wine professionals, Piedmontese Nebbiolo’s are often seen as offering remarkable quality at a far more approachable price point.. Brian Hourican, Wine Director at PJ Wines, states, “Entry-level Nebbiolo is better than it has ever been.” It’s an opportunity for discovery that no wine lover should miss.