Wine 101: Nebbiolo, Barolo & Barbaresco

Nebbiolo is the greatest grape of Italy’s Piedmont. And if you ask a farmer, it is unquestionably one of the most difficult to grow.

Certainly Nebbiolo is formidable, with fierce tannins and acidity, but it is also gloriously scented—“tar and roses” is the classic description—and has a supple, evocative flavor that lingers on the tongue. Those flavors are more substantial and emphatic in Barolos and more delicate and filigreed in Barbarescos, the two primary wines from Piedmont. Pour good Nebbiolo with foods such as braised short ribs, beef roasts, bollito misto and anything that involves truffles.