Vietti Perbacco Nebbiolo

Perbacco Nebbiolo from Vietti is a red wine made from Nebbiolo, a grape known for pale, brick-tinged colour that belies its structure. Nebbiolo at this level typically shows rose petal, dried cherry and red plum on the nose, with tar, dried herbs and a faint licorice edge. The palate is usually medium to medium-plus in body, with the grape's characteristic high acidity and firm, grippy tannin. Oak in entry-level Nebbiolo is generally restrained, so expect fruit and savoury notes to lead rather than vanilla or toast, and a dry, moderately long finish that leaves some tannic grip. That acidity and tannin make it a wine for food. Fat and protein soften it, so it works well with mushroom risotto, egg pasta with butter and sage, braised beef or veal, roast chicken with herbs, and cured meats such as salami and prosciutto. Aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano suit it too. Rich tomato dishes will also work, since the wine's own acidity keeps pace. Very spicy food or delicate fish tends to clash with the tannin. Serve it slightly cool, around 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C). A short stay in the fridge, about 20 minutes, brings a room-temperature bottle into range, and too much warmth makes the tannin feel harsher. A young Nebbiolo generally benefits from air, so decant it for 30 to 60 minutes, or pour it into large glasses and let it open over the meal. Use a large-bowled red wine glass, ideally a Burgundy-style one, which gathers the floral aromatics and gives the wine room to breathe. Wines in this style are made to be approachable relatively early. Drinking it within a few years of release, with a decant, is the most reliable way to enjoy it. A little cellar time may soften the tannin further, but it is not the kind of bottle that needs long ageing to be at its best.