Alessandro Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo

Alessandro Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo is a 100% Nebbiolo red wine from Piedmont, Italy, bottled at 14% ABV in a standard 750ml format. Sourced from vineyards in the townships of Sinio and Serralunga d'Alba — land that shares the same terroir as the famous Barolo zone — this bottling functions as an approachable, earlier-drinking expression of one of Italy's noblest grapes.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14%  |  Origin: Langhe, Piedmont, Italy  |  100% Nebbiolo  |  Producer: Alessandro Rivetto

Production & Heritage

Alessandro Rivetto farms vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba and Sinio, two communes whose calcareous-clay soils give Nebbiolo notable structure and aromatic intensity. The grapes are manually harvested, destemmed, and given a 30-hour cold soak before controlled-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks with a 15-day maceration — deliberately shorter than the extended macerations used for Barolo, which extracts softer, fruit-forward tannins while limiting the harsher astringent compounds that emerge with longer skin contact. The wine then matures for one year in traditional Slavonian oak barrels before spending several additional months resting in bottle prior to release.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with crushed raspberry and violet, then develops into earthier territory — dried sage, tilled soil, bark, and a hint of leather. There is a subtle wild, almost forest-floor quality underneath the fruit that signals classic Nebbiolo character.

Taste: The entry is round and fruit-driven, led by tart cherry and dark raspberry. At mid-palate, spice notes of cinnamon and clove emerge alongside a balsamic undercurrent and touches of licorice. The medium body and crunchy acidity keep the wine feeling lifted and precise rather than heavy.

Finish: The finish is warm and enveloping, with fine-grained tannins that linger without gripping. Cherry, dried earth, and a faint herbal quality persist through a moderate-length close.

How to Drink Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo

This Nebbiolo drinks beautifully at cellar temperature (60–65°F) with no decanting required, though 20–30 minutes of air can open the aromatics further. It is designed as a ready-to-drink red but can reward cellaring for up to a decade.

• Negroni Sbagliato: The wine's tart cherry and balsamic spice mirror the bitter-sweet balance of this spritz-style cocktail.
• Kalimotxo: Its structured acidity and moderate tannin make it a surprisingly good candidate for this Spanish red-wine-and-cola drink.
• Red Wine Sangria: The raspberry and violet aromatics add floral complexity to a fruit-forward pitcher.

Best For

• Introducing someone to Nebbiolo without the tannic intensity of Barolo
• Weeknight Italian dinners that call for a serious but approachable red
• Gifting a Piedmont wine lover who appreciates Serralunga d'Alba terroir
• Building a cellar with wines that drink well now but age gracefully

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo taste like? It leads with tart cherry, raspberry, and violet, layered with earthy notes of dried sage, bark, and leather. Medium-bodied with crunchy acidity and smooth, fine-grained tannins, it finishes warm with balsamic and licorice undertones.

How does Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo compare to Barolo? The fruit comes from vineyards bordering the Barolo zone in Serralunga d'Alba, sharing similar terroir, but a shorter 15-day maceration and only one year in Slavonian oak yield a softer, more immediately approachable wine. Barolo typically undergoes longer maceration and extended oak aging (minimum 18 months in wood, 38 months total), producing more tannic, age-demanding wines.

Is Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo good for sipping neat? Yes — its balanced tannins, bright acidity, and aromatic complexity make it an excellent wine to enjoy on its own at cellar temperature, no decanting necessary.

Where is Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo made? It is produced by Alessandro Rivetto from vineyards in the townships of Sinio and Serralunga d'Alba within the Langhe appellation of Piedmont, northwestern Italy.

What foods pair well with Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo? Handmade tajarin pasta with butter and sage complements the wine's herbal earthiness. Braised veal or ossobuco mirrors its savory depth. Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano echoes the balsamic and umami notes. Roasted mushrooms amplify the forest-floor aromatics. Mild salumi like coppa or bresaola match the tart cherry fruit without overwhelming the palate.

What sizes does Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle.

Is Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo worth the price? It positions as a mid-range Langhe Nebbiolo that punches above its tier thanks to Serralunga d'Alba vineyard sources and traditional Slavonian oak aging — details more commonly associated with pricier Barolo production.

Why Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo?

The defining advantage here is terroir: these vines sit just outside the officially delimited Barolo zone in Serralunga d'Alba, one of the most prized communes in Piedmont, giving the wine a structural seriousness that many Langhe Nebbiolo bottlings lack. The deliberate 15-day maceration strategy — long enough to extract ripe, round tannins but short enough to avoid the harder astringent compounds — produces a wine that is genuinely ready to drink on release yet capable of evolving for a decade. Aging in neutral Slavonian oak rather than smaller French barriques preserves varietal purity, letting Nebbiolo's signature raspberry, tar, and rose character come through without vanillin overlay. For drinkers who want authentic Piedmontese Nebbiolo without the patience Barolo demands, this is one of the more honest expressions available.