Drinking and Pairing Nebbiolo with Food

Nebbiolo is the most important red grape varietal grown in northwestern Italy. It produces the great red wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara (in Piedmont), and Valtellina (in Lombardy). "Tar and roses" are the classic descriptors for the deep red, orange-rimmed Nebbiolo, but the wines are highly complex and will reveal violets, red cherries, prunes, chocolate, truffle, and even yellow curry after time in the bottle. The wines are characterized by high tannin, high alcohol, and high acidity. They're wonderfully aromatic and have the ability to age well for many years. The name Nebbiolo is derived from "nebbia," the fog that blankets the Piedmont area in late October. The wines are traditionally aged in large Slavonian oak barrels, but there are some modern producers opting for barriques, the small oak barrels found in Bordeaux.

Nebbiolo's classic partner is beef braised in red wine, but it can be excellent with game birds and pasta with shaved white truffles.