Giovanni Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo 2016

The first wine of a Nebbiolo Wine Tasting held by the Club de Vinos Madrid at the DOC Enoteca Italiana Wine Bar.

This Italian grape variety from the Piedmonte Region in North West Italy is known primarily for the Barolo and Barbaresco red wines. However there are several DOCs who use this grape variety and we tried a few of them at this tasting.

The wine was a very pale garnet colour, totally see through. It almost looks watered down (but wasn’t, obviously!) In contrast it has a very pronounced scent. The high levels of alcohol and acidity literally clear your nostrils. I struggled to smell any other characteristics through this potency.

Nebbiolo wines are known for high alcohol, tannins and acidity and this wine definitely delivered on that. As you know this combination usually comes across in my mouth as a sour flavour and I got that. The tannins were evident in the way it left my tongue bone dry, yet my mouth was frantically producing saliva against the acidity…odd combination.

I checked with my fellow tasters what their experience of this wine was (as you know tannic wines overwhelm my taste buds) and apparently I should have tasted some dark cherry and a bit of tar/petrol.

The surprising element to this wine was it’s incredibly light body and finish. I associate tannic wines with heavy full bodied reds, but not this time. It was in fact quite a refreshing drink, bit of a shame that I couldn’t fully appreciate the flavours.

According to our Italian host this ‘elegant and refreshing’ wine should be drunk with rich foods as the acidity helps you digest. The wine was certainly better with Italian cured meats present, and I can see how the wine’s acidity would melt most food, but frankly I have enough problems with my own stomach acids without adding extra from this wine.

An interesting wine but not my style at all.