Description

There has never been a better time to drink Nebbiolo. Piedmont’s signature grape variety has become a global star. After a string of excellent vintages, it has become one of the world’s most beguiling wines, combining the allure and finesse of red Burgundy with the grounded structure and ageworthiness of classic red Bordeaux. But it also has something uniquely Italianate about it: the poised acidity that makes it such a great food wine, the long ageing in wood that gives an oxidative patina, the local tradition that winemakers continue to proudly uphold.

It has not always been like this. Until the 1980s, Piedmont was known to cognoscenti rather than the broader public. The first Italian wines to catch international attention came rather from Tuscany and Veneto than Piedmont. But eventually, the quality revolution transformed this unique region into a treasure trove. Today, Piedmont’s two best appellations, Barolo and Barbaresco, make arguably the best wines in their history, and the quality revolution has also spread far and wide to other areas, from the newly fashionable Alto Piemonte to confidential Aosta. A warmer, more stable climate has benefitted this notoriously late-ripening grape, so today’s Nebbiolos are a far cry from the savagely tannic versions of the past. The international fashion for lighter, more transparent, less oak-driven reds has created a positive context, as has the ascent of red Burgundy. While Nebbiolo is far more tannic than Pinot Noir, a bottle of aged Giacomo Conterno or Bruno Giacosa arguably comes closer to the experience of a great Chambertin than any New World or German Pinot.

Wojciech Bońkowski MW has been tasting Piedmontese wines for two decades and his Top 100 Report is based on tasting over 1,000 wines from across north-western Italy. The 100 top-scoring wines are divided into several sub-categories. These include Barolos from the 2021 vintage—the best since 2016 and one that every fine red wine lover will want to have in their cellar—and Barbaresco from 2022, a fine success that will provide earlier drinking pleasure, but also my selection from Roero, Alto Piemonte, Valtellina, and other appellations.

Demand for these wines is soaring, the top names are becoming hard to secure, and the prices go up every year, so this report is the perfect helper for buying Nebbiolo this year.