Nebbiolo, king of grapes
How a remote Italian valley gave rise to the grape of the moment
Can a grape be fashionable? Not in the same ephemeral sense as an oversized trench coat perhaps, but it can certainly be on a roll, which is where the Italian red grape variety Nebbiolo finds itself. It has form for a start, thanks to a series of great vintages in its Piedmont heartlands, including a stellar 2016, which have piqued the interest of drinkers and collectors alike. It has backstory, too; in Barbaresco and Barolo it is known as “the grape of kings and the king of grapes”.
To stretch the fashion analogy a little further, the grape’s very nature could be described as somewhat diva-like. “The beautiful thing is that Nebbiolo is to Italy what Pinot Noir is to France, it’s our most noble and aristocratic grape variety, which is also very moody and tremendously spoilt,” says Luca Dusi, co-owner of London wine shop and bar, Passione Vino.
This trickiness to cultivate means it doesn’t travel well. Another similarity with Pinot Noir is its lightness of colour, alongside a sensitivity to its surroundings. “It doesn’t necessarily have a great structure so any minimal changes in terroir and climate, you feel it immediately,” says Dusi.
The Nebbiolo wines of Piedmont are already well established and the story well told. In an outlier region in Lombardy to the north, however, a remote alpine valley called Valtellina is producing an under-the-radar Nebbiolo (the grape is traditionally known locally as Chiavennasca) that has a fresher style perhaps better-suited to the modern-day palate.
“It’s more accessible with a layer of elegance. More approachable and easier to understand than some of the old-school Barolos,” says Dusi. “Lighter in bodyweight, lighter in alcohol, more elegant, more chances to show off your knowledge to your guests or hosts,” he adds. “Valtellina is like an ace in the sleeve.”
This differing style is largely down to its dramatic setting, where altitude, steepness, soil, climate and exposure all have their say. The valley stretches 80km from east to west, and vertically from 350m right up to 1,000m, requiring vines to be stacked precariously in terraces on the northern slopes to maximise exposure to the sun.
It makes producing wine here complicated, time-consuming and, for Dusi, “heroic”. Precisely where the vines sit vertically in the valley also affects the wine’s flavour and structure. “It’s a jaw-dropping scenario. You can feel the pain, the hard work, everything is handmade,” says Dusi, remembering his first visit in 2005. “Once you get there, you realise they’re all mountaineers; really healthy, really hard working, super crazy because there’s so much oxygen in the air.”
Back then there were only around 20 producers. Now there are more than double that. Given Barolo has 1,200, it’s no surprise Valtellina remains something of a secret. The commitment required brings another big draw: consistency. “It’s really difficult to have a really bad wine here because of the effort it takes just to cultivate the grapes.” He estimates that the cost per hectare of producing wine in this locale is more than double the Italian average.
Having been underappreciated before 2000, a reinvigorated generation of younger Valtellinaborn producers has been working to get the word out. “This new generation sticks to each other and helps each other, unlike in other regions. It’s like a movement. It’s quite unique,” says Dusi.
Marco Fay, of the SandroFay vineyard, is one winemaker leading the charge. Ar Pe Pe is another. As a symbol of how well thought of these wines have now become, Fortnum & Mason brought out its own private label Valtellina wine in 2019, an accolade only reserved for the most prestigious regions. Produced by SandroFay, it was Dusi who made the introductions.
“Even if in 10 years’ time, Valtellina is so famous and everybody wants a bottle, you cannot extend the territory, it’s impossible,” says Dusi.
Barolo diehards and serious collectors might draw the distinction that Chiavennascas from Valtellina don’t age as well as Nebbiolos from Piedmont, which are known for their long lifespans.
“Who cares?” says Dusi. “We’re drinking it now.”
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