Vietti, Langhe (Piedmont, Italy) Nebbiolo 'Perbacco' 2004 (Remy Cointreau USA, $21):  This wine has so many stories to tell, I'm not sure where to begin.  There's the story of Nebbiolo, of course: Italy's very special, very particular noble red grape.  And there's the story of the Langhe Hills, the wondrous wine district of tiny hilltop villages that evoke a calm, simple approach to the good life.  And the story of Vietti, a family winery whose owners, the Currados, have long been leaders in bringing the warmth and richness of the Piedmont region to American wine lovers.

Nebbiolo is the variety that makes Piedmont's legendary red wines, Barolo and Barbaresco.  The Barolo and Barbaresco zones are the two most blessed vineyard areas in the Langhe Hills surrounding the town of Alba, a patchwork of wine districts, which includes production zones for other wines such as Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo d'Alba.  Producers in this area can call their wines by the name of a smaller area, where applicable, or by the name Langhe, with or without a varietal designation.

The wine called Perbacco is 100% Nebbiolo and it could be a Barolo, but it's designated as a Langhe Nebbiolo instead.  Its grapes come from vineyards in the Barolo zone, mainly around the village of Castiglione Falletto, where the Vietti winery is based, and are vinified exactly as Vietti's Barolos are, except that the wine is released slightly sooner.  Vietti's Barolo wines--four single-vineyard bottlings and a Barolo from several vineyards, called Barolo Castiglione--start at $45 a bottle in this country, but Perbacco costs only $21.  It is in every sense a Baby Barolo.

Like any self-respecting Nebbiolo--especially one from the Barolo zone--Perbacco has a complex aroma/ flavor profile.  Its nose suggests ripe red fruits (strawberry and cherry) with top notes of mint, menthol and licorice, and base notes of tar and mushroom.  In the mouth it is full bodied and dry, with Nebbiolo's classic, high-acid/firm-tannin combination, a one-two punch of structural power that's balanced by fresh, ripe fruit character.  Compared to a Barolo, this wine is fruitier and fresher but in all its other characteristics, it is classic Nebbiolo.  However, it will not age as long as its big brothers that go by the Barolo name.

Until the 2001 vintage, Perbacco was a selection of younger Nebbiolo vines.  Now it is a selection from the wines that otherwise would make Vietti's Castiglione Barolo.  Winemaker Luca Currado believes that this method not only results in a higher quality Perbacco but also improves the quality of the Castiglione Barolo. 

Perbacco is definitely a wine for food.  Pair it with a chunk of parmigiano or a hearty risotto or, in summer, grilled meats.  Enjoy it in a large glass, and give the wine enough air to release its complex aromas and flavors.  Age it for a couple of years if you like, but frankly that's not the point of this wine.  Perbacco is Nebbiolo for now.

90 Points