By Matthew Fitzsimmons

Few grapes are as synonymous with the region they come from as nebbiolo. Indigenous to the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, it’s the source of two of the world’s most famous (and expensive) wines; Barolo and Barbaresco. Powerfully tannic yet possessing delicate aromas and expressive fruit, wine critic Madeline Puckette famously quipped drinking nebbiolo was like “Getting kicked in the face by a ballerina”.

Nebbiolo’s relationship with the mountainous Piedmont isn’t coincidental; even the name is a reference to its home. Many believe the word Nebbiolo comes from the Latin Nebula, which means ‘fog’ or ‘mist’. This fog inundates the region during harvest, helping regulate the temperature of the grapes.

Such conditions contribute to nebbiolo’s reputation as a finicky, terroir-driven wine. Early budding yet late ripening, few places outside Piedmont are thought to have the near-goldilocks conditions to allow nebbiolo to mature to full ripeness. Its requirement for an especially long growing season gives many Virginia winegrowers pause when considering it for their vineyard, given the state’s erratic weather.

So it’s somewhat surprising that nebbiolo is nevertheless gaining traction in Virginia. According to the 2021 Virginia Grape Report, 47 acres of nebbiolo are now grown in the state. While that’s nowhere near the acreage of Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay, neither is it an outlier found in only a handful of locations.

A growing number of winegrowers seem to think nebbiolo is worth the investment. But why?

Luca Paschina: The OG (Original Grower) of Virginia’s Nebbiolo

Luca Paschina of Barboursville Vineyards is probably the person most responsible for the grape’s introduction into Virginia. His love of nebbiolo is understandable. Not only is Luca a native of Piedmont, nebbiolo is the first wine he’s ever made.

When asked to compare how the different growing conditions of Virginia and Piedmont impacts locally-grown nebbiolo, Luca pointed out that elevation is only one part of the equation; Virginia’s weather is hotter and soils are clay-based.

“We planted it in 1995 and originally started with ½ an acre. Our first vintage was 1998, a very good growing season. In 2001 we planted an additional 4 acres and another 4 in 2023.

I knew nebbiolo had the potential to age, but I didn’t know whether it could do the same here. But drinking the 1998 vintage, I can see it ages well.

Our approach is to make it into a single varietal; I never blend it. Others do that to darken the color, but we don’t. I don’t make this wine to drink on the porch. It’s a food wine.

Some are turned off because it’s astringent and assertive than comparable Bordeaux varietals. Its tannins may be astringent but never bitter.

The main threat is it does bud break early so it’s more exposed to frost risk. But nebbiolo is fairly healthy and easy to grow. We drop a lot of fruit, but it’s a good thing since you get to choose how much you want to harvest.

When it comes to disease resistance it has problems with downy mildew but overall isn’t much different than other varieties in Virginia. If it rains towards the end of harvest nebbiolo does hold very well, it’s very resilient.”

A Tradeoff of Risk vs Reward

While nebbiolo’s reputation as an early-budding yet late-ripening vine makes it a risky investment in Virginia’s capricious growing season, the grape’s fame is a strong motivator for others to take that chance.

When Bill Gadino of Gadino Cellars was deciding what red grapes to plant, he turned to Luca for advice. While Luca was careful to point out nebbiolo’s challenges, he phrased it like this; “If you’re going to pick one, go for the gold and grow nebbiolo.”

While Luca may have meant this figuratively, the impact for several Virginia wineries has been literal. Since 2014 over a dozen Virginia wines made with nebbiolo have earned Gold at the Virginia’s Governor’s Cup wine competition. Barboursville’s 2010 Nebbiolo and a 2016 bottle from Breaux Vineyards went on to place amongst the top-12 wines in the 2014 and 2021 competitions, respectively.

But even its supporters admit it’s not a perfect fit for Virginia. Multiple winegrowers voice concern over its risk to frost. Several also pointed out its inconsistent yields, ranging from 1.5 to 4 tons an acre, depending on who and when you ask.

Despite all this, the number of people planting nebbiolo is growing, as is their faith its problems can be addressed.

“Is it worth the trouble? I’d say, yes.” wrote Robert Muse of Muse Vineyards. “Each year when we get it to fully ripen it gets better. I would say nebbiolo is finicky to the point almost of eccentricity. But we’re glad to have it, and I believe we’re more than halfway to understanding the variety and teasing out its best expressions.”

It’s familiarity to consumers also helps. Josh Gerard of Breaux Vineyards explained, “We grow both barbera and nebbiolo. Increased plantings of these two varietals may be due in part to their marketability. They have more recognition and familiarity in the marketplace than for example Aglianico or Verdicchio.”

Virginia Nebboilo will never be mistaken for a bottle made in Italy. But if the results are good, what did it matter where the grapes came from?

Pouring a glass of his 1998 vintage, Luca discussed a blind tasting at the Texas Sommelier Conference where one of his bottles was compared to a nebbiolo from Italy. In terms of picking a favorite, the results were split.

In the end, he reasoned, “Why worry about the ‘why’ when you have the proof in front of you?”

Nebbiolo is found across the state. Look for bottles from Barboursville, Breaux, Chestnut Oak, Gabriele Rausse, Gadino, Greenhill, Horton, Stone Tower, Muse, and soon from Glen Manor Vineyards.

Author: Matthew Fitzsimmons is a blogger who has visited nearly every winery in Virginia – most of them twice. Track his progress at https://winetrailsandwanderlust.com/.