Nebbiolo d´Alba MICHET

A perfumed and very classic nebbiolo with aromas of dried cherries, strawberries, violets, roses and licorice. Light-bodied, it shows quite a biting palate with dusty tannins, crisp acidity and a slightly rough finish. Pair with food. Drink now.

Although this wine is not yet available in the U.S. (the price is an estimate), I recommend it for three reasons: It is simply delicious, and should you run across it in a restaurant in Italy, snap it up. Secondly, it highlights an underappreciated category—Nebbiolo d’Alba. Thirdly, I urge an importer to pick it up. Marchesi di Barolo, located in the center of the Barolo village itself, is an historic and superb producer. You can be thrilled with any of their wines from their top Barolo to less prestigious ones, like this Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo, after all, is the grape of Barolo and Barbaresco, so think of Nebbiolo d’Alba—or di Piemonte for that matter—as a Rosso in the sense of Rosso di Montalcino in relation to Brunello. This one delivers the aromatic allure of Barolo along with less weight, but the same appealing combination of fruity and savory elements with far less of a tannic grip. In short, it is a “Rosso di Barolo” that is perfect for current drinking, especially with wintertime fare. 93 Michael Apstein