The beauty of Italy's Nebbiolo

Whenever I come across a good, reasonably priced Nebbiolo, I think it’s real news. Nebbiolo, of course, is the red star of the Piedmont region in northern Italy, the grape that produces the famed Barolos and Barbarescos and other wines of lesser stature that, nonetheless, can provide a satisfying taste of this beautiful variety.

One of them is the 2001 Langhe Nebbiolo from the Produttori del Barbaresco, a description that may benefit, I think, from a little translation. First, the Barbaresco and Barolo zones lie within the Langhe hills of southeastern Piedmont and, by law, these wines must be aged for several years before release. A wine labeled Langhe Nebbiolo, however, can be released sooner.

This one, for which I paid $13.50, discounted, is made by the Produttori del Barbaresco, a well-known cooperative winery that mainly produces Barbarescos using grapes from small growers.  The Langhe, a blend from several vineyards and described by the winery as a “second label for the Barbaresco,” is an aromatic and youthful wine that is nonetheless complex and wonderful to savor.

It’s interesting to think of Nebbiolo as “Italy’s answer to Pinot Noir,” as Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch describe it in their reference guide, “Vino Italiano,” and as others have observed.  With its light ruby color and aromas and tastes that include blueberry and dark cherry, the Langhe does evoke some of the characteristics of Pinot Noir.

There is also a wonderful, fruit-orchard rusticity here — a far different quality than that of, say, a Pinot Noir produced in a state-of-the art American winery. The Langhe is made with grapes from young vines or from vineyards that produced less intense juice. It is barrel-aged for six months and shows ample spice, cedar notes and a bit of chocolate on the finish. It is not lacking in tannin, which is typical of Nebbiolo and why powerful Barolos and Barbarescos made from the best grapes often need years of aging for the tannins to soften and to reach their potential. The Langhe will benefit from 30 minutes of breathing before you pour it.

The winery made about 5,000 cases of the ‘01 Langhe. It is a small-production wine, in other words, as is just about everything from the area. You’ll get the sense of this when you taste it. There’s nothing generic about it, and the price makes it even more attractive.

Edward Deitch's wine column appears Thursdays. Write to him at wine@msnbc.com.

© 2012 msnbc.com Reprints