2014 Reverdito Langhe Nebbiolo Simane 750 ml

Langhe Nebbiolo on Par with Prized Barolo

Top-flight Nebbiolo usually commands top dollar, but we’re pleased to present Wine Access clients with Michele Reverdito’s 2014 Langhe Nebbiolo “Simane,” a lights-out steal and cellar-stuffer at $19.99. Reverdito is dedicated to producing wines by traditional methods from his lofty perch in La Morra, not 4 miles from the revered Piedmontese village of Barolo. He harvests by hand, uses only natural yeasts, and treats his fog-born Langhe Nebbiolo like his prized Barolo, opting to age the wine for a full year in 4,000-liter oak botti, Barolo’s traditional aging vessels. The result is a star winemaker’s Nebbiolo that boasts a depth of flavor that trends toward Barolo much more than it does other wines at this price point. Fragrant, medium-bodied, and with tannins that can hold up at almost any meal, this is a wine to go with almost any dish, at the best price in the U.S. At $19.99, stack ‘em deep.

Unless they have a few decades to wait and $50-100 or more to spare on a regal Barolo or Barbaresco, lovers of Nebbiolo are often out of luck. The simpler expressions that occupy the more-reasonable end of the price spectrum often lack the dried flowers, tobacco, tar, and overall depth that make Piedmont’s prized grape so beguiling.

The answer, largely, is in the élevage. More humble Nebbiolos meant for earlier drinking than their age-hungry Barolo counterparts are often aged in stainless steel, which does little to soften their stout tannins and nothing to deepen their flavors.

But Michele Reverdito’s forté is Barolo, and he cuts no corners with his Langhe Nebbiolo Simane, which puts comparably priced Nebbiolos to shame. After tasting it blind, we were truly shocked to find out we weren’t tasting a village Barolo — and pleasantly shocked at the price!