subject: Pinot Noir Vs Nebbiolo [print this page] Pinot Noir Vs Nebbiolo Pinot Noir Vs Nebbiolo
I thought I'd do some articles aimed at comparing "difficult" wine grape varieties and thought an ideal place to start would be with the Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo varieties. Both produce outstanding wines when they get their own way.
The Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo grape varieties are both notoriously demanding of precise growing conditions and require very careful management during cultivation and indeed fermentation. Both can produce superbly elegant, balanced and extremely high quality wines, which have won acclaim and respect from wine makers and consumers alike. Lets compare.
Pinot Noir, originates from and was in times gone by, most associated with Burgundy. These days however it has been successfully transplated to many regions world-wide. The variety is extremely sensitive to it's surrounding climate and to the soil it is planted in. It thrives in cooler, less harsh environments than many other varieties and can be adversely affected by wind and frost. The soil conditions it is planted in have a very noticeable effect on the final quality and flavour.
During the growing period they need to be carefully pruned as they have a tendency to form dense clusters, which are prone to rot - and not the beneficial kind of rot either. For this reason Pinot Noir is a low yield fruit and this means that it is vital that it be treated with expert care in order for it to produce the beautifully perfumed, elegant wines it is known for.
At its best it delivers ripe silky tannins and juicy summer fruit flavours.
A similarly tricky variety is the wonderful Nebbiolo grape which hails from North west Italy and has a different set of requirements from the Pinot.
Associated particularly with the Barolo region of Piedmont this grape needs the absolute maximum dose of hot sunlight throughout its maturation. It is held by many to be a close second to Pinot Noir in terms of the brilliant wines it can produce in the right hands.
Unlike the Pinot Noir vine a Nebbiolo wine will divert its energy to producing bushy foliage rather than fruit if it isn't managed carefully during cultivation. A different set of headaches for the grower altogether. It also demands precise soil characteristics and a south facing, higher altitude, planting situation in order to receive the required amount of sun. When all this is balanced ideally the wines resulting can be of unrivalled perfume and quality. They can also achieve quite amazing longevity once bottled with 40 years being quite possible.
Like the Pinot, Nebbiolo wines are now produced in many areas of the world outside of their spiritual and historical home of Italy. New Zealand an some regions of California now grow good sized crops of the variety and are producing acclaimed wines though the terrior found in it's native plantations is undoubtedly superior in the most expensive examples.
For the internet globetrotter interested in these varieties and the superb and sometimes esoteric wines produced by masters of their craft you can find a great selection of both at http://www.wineday.co.uk The advantage of this site is that it offers products from multiple wine merchants allowing you to compare and contrast wines and prices at one site. The site offers examples from many growing regions and lets you narrow down the search by price, area or vintage.
