Pertinace Nebbiolo – Aromatic and Affordable

I often get the question, “what’s your favorite wine?”  To which I never have a simple answer.  I don’t really have one favorite.  It depends on what mood I’m in, what I’m eating, what the weather is, etc.  That’s like asking me what my favorite song is.  I can’t narrow it down to just one.

But when I get asked about my favorite wine my answer will typically include a reference to Barolo and Barbaresco.  These two wines are both made from nebbiolo grapes and come from Piedmont, Italy.  They come from different districts in Piedmont, hence the two names, but also have some stylistic differences.  Both of these wines are magical to me.  The aromatics and flavors are exotic, rich, complex and delightful.  Barolo tends to be heavily tannic, needing several years in the cellar to mellow before consumption, while Barbaresco tends to be more approachable and elegant.

While I love both Barolo and Barbaresco, there’s one thing I don’t like about them… the prices.  Barolo and Barbaresco tend to be rather pricey wines, retailing for around $50 and up.  So when I come across a good nebbiolo that sells for under twenty bucks I’m a happy guy.

This nebbiolo from Pertinace is one of those wines.  It also comes from the Langhe region in Piedmont, which includes both the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations.  And the grapes for this wine come from the around the village of Treiso, which is within the Barbaresco region.  The wine is labeled simply as nebbiolo because it for whatever reason doesn’t meet the DOCG requirements to be a Barbaresco, but it still has some of those characteristics.

The aromas on this wine are what I would expect from a nebbiolo, although they’re not quite as intense as in some of the best I’ve had.  It offers orange peel, raspberry, rose, cherry and baking spice aromatics.  The palate brings intense cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors with a really, really vibrant acidity.  Some may find it too vibrant, but I love it.  There is also some bitterness and a slight silkiness to the mouthfeel from the tannins — although the tannins are much softer than a big Barolo would be, making this wine more approachable at its young age.  A couple years on the shelf might do well for this wine, but you can enjoy it now too.

Overall, I like this wine.  It’s a great way to get some of those delicious nebbiolo qualities without breaking the bank.

Wine: Pertinace Nebbiolo
Variety: Nebbiolo
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 86
Price: $18.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.