Daniele Nardi's website

This wine is made from another of my favorite grape varieties: Nebbiolo. This grape makes some of the most heralded, complex, and age worthy wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. These wines cost north of $40, and – unlike some Cabernet Sauvignons – are not too oaky (or oaky at all) nor fruit bombs. Instead, they are aromatically intense with fruit, flowers (roses is a typical note) and spices. They are very dry; not a lot of sweetness from the residual sugar. What makes them age well are the tannins. If you cannot tolerate at all a bit of that feeling of puckering, bitter finish, these wines might not be a good choice for you. But these wines – just like most old world wines – go great with food. In this case, hearty food. A classic pairing is with risotto with mushroom, but also steak, cheeses and salami.

Anyways, the wine I am reviewing here is not a Barolo or Barbaresco that costs $$$. It is the little brother of a Barbaresco – made with the same Nebbiolo grape, aged less, and much less expensive (this one costs around $17-20). Yet, it (over)delivers some of that same aromatic palette and complexity. This wine is full body, with a nose dominated by plum, flowers, and star anise. It is not too tannic and it drinks well even without food (but still, it’s better with food). If you never had a Nebbiolo, this is a great place to start!