Nebbiolo grapes grown predominantly in the Piedmont region of Italy produce some of Italy's greatest red wines, Barolo and Barbaresco. Despite its fickle growing and fermentation nature, these grapes are surprisingly resistant to disease and mold.

The Nebbiolo grape is typically characterized by the flavors of sweet fruits like blackberry and cherry, with high acidity levels and tough tannins.

This is a grape varietal that welcomes the challenge of being paired with strong, flavorful meats and cheeses and will compete well with spicy Italian meats and well-aged Parmesan cheese.

Nebbiolo is considered one of the great wine varieties, bigger, darker and more tannic, even bitter, than most types, but consequently long-lived and prized by collectors. Jealously guarded in its native Italian home and most famous appellation of Piedmont, very few nebbiolo cuttings and clones have been exported to other countries.

The name nebbiolo has two probable origins. Ripe nebbiolo grapes have a very prominent "bloom" that gives them a "foggy" or "frosted" look, so the name could come from from "nebbia", Italian for "fog". It is an alternative possibility that the name simply comes from "nobile", Italian for "noble".

Nebbiolo grape skins are thin, but quite tough and fairly resistant to molds and pests.