13 hours ago
Wine with Leslie: Intriguing tastes of Nebbiolo
I've often been asked what led me to fall in love with wine, and I think it was probably just my innate hedonism.
I adore the scents, flavours and textures to be found in even modest bottles of wine, and of course in great wines from say Burgundy, Bordeaux and Piedmont (to name just three of my favourite regions).
What inspired this column was a fragrant and fruit-driven Nebbiolo di Langhe in Lidl this month as part of their Italian celebration.
Given that my last two columns covered southern Italy, I decided I needed to give other countries a chance, so I have chosen two other wines that offer similar pleasures.
Nebbiolo is rarely a bargain and this is because it is such a difficult variety to manage.
Nebbiolo is picky about the soil it is planted in, it is the first variety to bud but also the last to ripen (usually mid-October).
It needs a long growing season with plenty of sunshine and well-drained soils so it is particularly suited to Piedmont.
You will find examples in Australia, California and almost every new world region, but none have come close to recreating the complex aromas and flavour profile of the wines of Piedmont.
Nebbiolo can have scents of violets, cherry and plums but also tar, ink, and cold tea.
The best Barolo and Barbarescos are fragrant, elegant and enticing, but also much more grippy and structured than you would expect from such a beguiling aroma.
I'm also recommending a Spanish Mencía which can also offer intrigue and complexity, but is generally a more easy drinking wine.
And of course I had to include a Bourgogne Pinot Noir which is all about the seductive scents matched with structure and acidity; even Riedel recommend the same glass for both wines.
There are finer Bourgognes to try, but this one is a good place to start.
Santenzo Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont; €10.99
Santenzo Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont; €10.99
Lidl
This has to be the best value Nebbiolo in the country and is one of number of good Italian wines in Lidl this month (also look for Fiano and the Riccardi Chianti Colli Senesi).
Blackcurrant and dark plum fruits with a touch of ink, fruity and ripe with noticeable weight and texture.
Tannins are present, but they are integrated and overall this is quite the charmer.
Brezo de Gregory Perez, Bierzo, Spain; €21
Brezo de Gregory Perez, Bierzo, Spain; €21
MacCurtain Wine Cellar; Sheridans Dublin and Galway
Mencía has similar molecular properties to black truffles, they say, and matches them brilliantly, as does Nebbiolo.
Mencía offers scents of violets and lively ripe fruits such as blackberry and cherry, but also an earthy tone.
This is one of my favourites, with pastille aromas, supple and layered fruits, but with a lightness of touch and lingering red and black fruits.
Louis Jadot Pinot Noir, Bourgogne, France; €32-33
Louis Jadot Pinot Noir, Bourgogne, France; €32-33
JJ O'Driscolls; La Touche; Molloys; O'Briens
Pinot Noir is an obvious grape to compare to Nebbiolo and this Bourgogne version is even somewhat affordable; Jadot are big but they are consistent.
Bright cherry-strawberry aromas with a hint of earth; supple, textured and lingering tangy red fruits.
O'Driscolls also stock the excellent Two Paddocks & Two Picnics Pinot from NZ, both made by Sam Neil (yes, that Sam Neil).
Beer of the Week
8 Degrees Brewing 'Full Irish' Single Malt IPA, 6% ABV, 440ml €3.75
8 Degrees Brewing 'Full Irish' Single Malt IPA, 6% ABV, 440ml €3.75
Bradleys; Matsons; Tesco; Independents;
I first tasted this in 2014 (initially for a festival but soon brought into the core range) but have not featured it here.
From Irish grown barley malted in Cork, but using New World hops (simcoe, cascade, citra and amarillo).
As expected from those hops this is a hop-bomb, packed with lime and lychee fruits but with a good hit of malt on the mid palate. Perfect summer drinking.
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