# Nebbiolo Reserve (2022)

- **Producer:** Barboursville Vineyards
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Nebbiolo
- **Region:** Virginia, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €43
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** rose, violet, cherry, blackberry, plum, cedar, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Barboursville Vineyards was founded in 1976 by Gianni Zonin of Casa Vinicola Zonin in Virginia's Monticello AVA. As a pioneering estate in Virginia viticulture, Barboursville first planted Nebbiolo in 1998 under the guidance of Italian-born winemaker Luca Paschina. Cultivated in red clay and silt loam soils rich in iron near the Blue Ridge Mountains, this bottling demonstrates that Piemontese grape varieties can yield age-worthy, complex expressions in North American terroir.

## Interesting facts

- Barboursville Vineyards was founded in 1976 by the Zonin family, historic winemakers from Veneto, Italy.
- Winemaker Luca Paschina studied oenology in Alba, Piemonte, bringing authentic regional expertise to Virginia.
- Barboursville pioneered commercial Nebbiolo planting in Virginia in 1998.
- The 2022 vintage was awarded Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

## Food pairing

The firm tannic structure and elevated acidity of Nebbiolo demand rich proteins and savory animal fats to coat the palate. Highly textured dishes like roasted game, marbled red meats, and slow-cooked ragùs cut through the rigid tannins, while mushroom and truffle accents complement the underlying earthy nuances.

## Wine making process

Harvested from estate vineyards trained on traditional Piemontese Guyot trellising, the grapes undergo fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with skin maceration. The wine is aged for approximately 12 months in French oak barriques, utilizing roughly 30% new oak and 70% neutral oak to preserve core fruit purity while developing refined tannic structure.