In mid November we held a very succesful cellar tasting which largely confirmed this as one of the very noblest of the noble varieties. Having said that we started with the “idiosyncratic” Coriole Nebbiolo Rose 2008 (£12.50) which has lots of rhubarb and prune character and provokes a “Marmite” (love or hate) reaction from our customers. Back to the mainstream with the wonderful 2005 Nebbiolo d’Alba “Bricco Barone”, Marziano Abbona (£16.25) which shows riper more generous fruit than the “senior” wines and certainly blows away any “supermarket” Barolo at the price.

The 5 Baroli (my anticipated Barbaresco failed to be delivered) tasted certainly didn’t let the side down though. We compared the more “classic” (massive generalisation I know) 2004 Barolo Baudana by Luigi Baudana (£31.50) - high toned, floral, a very good vintage which needs time to peak - with the 2003 Bricco Cogni by Michele Reverdito (£34); more obvious new oak, well controlled richness in a hot year – a fleshier blockbuster which was generally seen to be drinking well now. Then on to the 1996 Vigna Mandorlo by Giacosa Fratelli (£47.50); still good depth of fruit and something of a mellow bruiser (contradiction in terms I know) which nevertheless demonstrated why we should probably try to hold onto 2004s for a decade or so.

These were followed by two Riservas from Giacomo Borgogno; the ‘82 (£85, sold out) and the ‘61 (£105). The former was decanted in 2007, the latter recently also. This means they hit the shelf with a new springy cork and very little sediment. Special case wines but they still demonstrate the capacity to age of Nebbiolo. The older wine was unsurprisingly more seamless, but it also seemed more vibrant and showed more obvious hints of cherry fruit. Consensus was that the extra £20 would be money well spent.

Final wine was the Steenberg Nebbiolo 2007 from Constantia (£21). This has sold well here, having been featured in our enomatics. Lots of ripe heady spicy cherry fruit, hints of licorish, cough mixture and spice, with butterscotch on the finish. A chunky wine balanced by Nebbiolo’s refreshing acidity. Nothing like the Piemontese wines but deservedly popular all the same – South African Nebbiolo should have a different style, otherwise why bother making it?