Nebbiolo Beyond Barolo: Langhe and Monferrato
The grape of Barolo, from the wider hills of Piemonte, made to be opened sooner.
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The wider hills
Barolo and Barbaresco are small zones inside much larger hill country. The Langhe DOC covers the hills around Alba as a whole; the Monferrato DOC covers the rolling country to the north and east, across the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. Both denominations allow Nebbiolo to be made as a red wine of its own, under shorter ageing rules than the two DOCGs.
The result keeps the character of the grape, its perfume, red fruit and fine tannin, in a wine that is ready to drink younger.
Langhe Nebbiolo
Covalli Langhe Nebbiolo is aged for 18 months in large wooden barrels and a few months more in bottle. It is pure and focused, with cherry, blackberry, licorice and mineral notes, elegant and structured through a balanced finish. It is best within eight years of the vintage. See the wine.
Monferrato Nebbiolo
Covalli Monferrato Nebbiolo follows a long maceration and fermentation at controlled temperature, then rests for a year in traditional concrete tanks rather than wood. It has a deeper colour than Nebbiolo from other zones, a well-structured body, a bouquet of rose and violet with a touch of clove, and graceful tannins. Its ageing potential is five to eight years from the vintage. See the wine.
At the table
Both suit red and white meats with rich dressings and more elaborate first courses, and both work as a glass of red on its own. Serve between 18 and 22 °C.
