It has been a while since I reported on my quest to try to fall for Nebbiolo, and I have quite a few wines to tell you about. The first of these is really distinctive. It’s from Piedmont, but from Monferrato rather than Barolo, and so – considering the quality – it’s superb value for money.
It’s Andrea Faccio’s Treponti, and it’s a complex wine with lots of edges. It has sweet fruit, but also lots of grippy tannins and angular bits sticking out, as Nebbiolo often seems to have. But I think it’s a really good wine – one that will show its best with food, and which will age well. We don’t want all our wines to be polite and inoffensive.
Villa Giada ‘Treponti’ Nebbiolo 2007 Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy
14% alcohol. Savoury, tarry, slightly minty edge to the vibrant, grippy, edgy cherry and plum fruit. Combines ripeness and savouriness, with dense, sweet berry fruits and also some angular, primary tannins. Really interesting wine with lots of personality, leaving you feeling that it has lots more to show, given time. 92/100 (£16.99 Hawkshead Wines)
Jamie,
Ben Robsonat Bat and Bottle also imports this and it’s available at £15.00 if bought as a 6 pack or £15.80 single. Batwine.co.uk is the link. 🙂 and yes I agree, it s a delicious drop! In fact Ben will mix you a villa Giarda case up as he imports most of the range.
Best
David
I am also a Nebbiolo-sceptic; I recently tried the Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Barbaresco 2008 and was pleasantly surprised.
Jamie,
I struggle with most new world wines. Loaded with too much fruit, and not enough balancing acidity and tannins.
IE Nebbiolo with much tannin and acidity and terrific bouquet with amazing complexities, is far more appealing than a blowsy Australian red anything or south African option with heavy berries and little balancing tannin and acids.
I find it amazing what with the whole wide world of diverse flavours and palates.